Thorn
by The Snowflake Queen
Summary: (Vampire Knight w/ OC) She became a Vampire Hunter for him. She wanted to be useful so she became their weapon. Years later, she's forced to face her past and cope with the present. Will this fair maiden prove to the world that she has blossomed or will she wilt? May contains scenes of explicit violence and other mature content. Reader discretion is advised.
1. Sepal

Prologue

There are vile creatures with human appearances that live amongst humans. They weaken in sunlight. Their eyes burn scarlet. They have fangs instead of teeth. Their skin is like ivory. They possess eternal youth and beauty. They have an insatiable hunger for blood. They kill without mercy. They are vampires.

There are humans with advanced blood coursing through their veins. They wield weapons that have been created for the sole purpose of eliminating vampires. They do not rest until their target is eliminated. They carry out orders without hesitation. They stare death in the face as they risk their lives to save the masses. They train their entire lives to become killing machines. They are vampire hunters.

Then there are the humans that are oblivious to the dangers around them. They live their lives, thinking they're lucky to be alive. They believe they're at the top of the food chain. They're foolish beings that live unfulfilling lives. They function almost automatically, rarely deviating from their routines. They are humans.

The world is a curious place, housing these beings in the same environment.

Chapter 1: Sepal

_'BANG!'_

The sound of a gunshot pierces the silence and the sound resonates louder than glass shattering. A trail of smoke is whirled around the revolver. There is the scent of gunpowder burning. The bullet casing '_clinks_' softly against the pavement. The shooter slowly lowers her hands, her fingers trembling around the trigger as the revolver threatened to slip from her small hands. She dropped her head forward, letting her chin length onyx hair hide her face. She doesn't want him to see the tears that are threatening to fall from her eyes. Her cursed eyes that are the color of cherry blossom petals. She doesn't want him to see her weep, doesn't want him to see the dew forming on the petals and staining their innocence.

"Misaki! Straighten up! You had the shot and you hesitated! Dammit!"

He snaps at her and she doesn't even need to look at him to know he's angry. It's not so much anger as it is disappointment. He believes that she will be a grand vampire hunter. He strongly believes she will be capable of showing to the world why the Himuras are ready to be regarded as a vampire hunter family in the eyes of the association. Even knowing of the confidence he's thrusting at her, she's still too innocent to comprehend why these skills must be learned. She doesn't quite understand why she must be able to look it in the eyes and shoot it point blank without feeling remorse. She can't bring herself to become a murderer.

The child squeezes her eyes shut to halt her tears in their tracks and grips the revolver tightly. She then opened her eyes and broke into a sprint, running as fast as her little feet would let her. The snow crunched under her brown boots as her scarf whipped behind her. Her breath is visible in the air but her knee length white jacket has her snug and warm. Her violet beanie slid off her onyx hair but she kept running. She had to find her master. It was her fault that the vampire got away. She huffed and puffed until she was inside the empty and dusty house. She kept her gloved fingers tight around the revolver, knowing it was the only thing that could protect her now.

"_Well well well_~ It looks like you've come back to me~ Did you like my offer of _sucking_ you dry that much, _little girl_~?"

The sinister voice was right at her ear. He was right behind her. She hadn't sensed him. She never even saw him coming. The child whirled around and aimed her revolver at his head, the metal pressing against his forehead, right where the eyebrows met. She was trembling and fear was threatening to shut down her body. He snickered, amused at the child. Her acts of intended bravery were amusing him more than she could imagine. His scarlet eyes met her own, daring her to pull the trigger but she couldn't do it.

She was frozen in place and he knew. He raised one clawed hand and shoved her hard across the room. She skidded towards the door she'd come from and curled up, hugging herself. She'd dropped her gun by the creature's feet. She was whimpering now as he took his time to come to her. He was cackling so horrendously because he was toying with her. He wanted to instill fear in his prey. Within moments, it was looming over her with his fangs bared. All she could was stare at him in terror, tears streaming down her pale cheeks and she screamed right as his fangs grazed her neck. Her heart raced in her chest as she knew he was going to sink his fangs into her. She was going to die at the hands of a vampire. He was going to drink her dry because she had been a coward...

_'BANG!'_

The gunshot pierced the silence again but this time it was like the curtain for the grand show was being torn down to reveal a failed performance. There wasn't even time for him to shriek. The bullet had struck his head and he'd disintegrated immediately. The only traces of his existence was a pile of ashes. She trembled even as her eyes met his. The look of utter disappointment was etched upon his facial features. He'd never looked so tired before. It looked as if he'd reached his breaking point.

He didn't utter a word to her, didn't bother to ask if she was okay or reprimand her again. He simply dropped her revolver beside her on the floor and walked past her. He left the building, left her there weeping. He never came back for her. He abandoned her there for someone else to fetch. He'd been her mentor for a whole year but they'd never made any progress. She'd never been able to hit a live target, the target she was meant to kill. She was too hesitant, too soft. That fateful night he walked out of that building without her had been the last time she'd seen her master but it was also the night she'd made a resolve to become someone worthy of calling herself a vampire hunter.


	2. Luck

_"They believed she wouldn't amount to anything so she came back to shoot a bullet right between their eyes."_

It's been several years since the night she almost perished at the hands of the vampire. Her master had saved her life as a token of his departure. The child had waited for her master at the exact spot she had been laying in when he shot the vampire. She was found an hour later by fellow Vampire Hunters, almost buried entirely under snow. They'd received word that a child was the survivor of the vampire attack and they took her in. She had nowhere to go or family they could contact. She had nothing to speak for who she was except a single letter her master had left behind at the association. The words etched on the paper were a mystery to her. She'd never been told what the letter stated. She was never told the whereabouts of her master. He'd kept her hidden from the association, training her in secret. It was as if she'd been alone all this time, wallowing in a pit of loneliness and despair. The memories alone of that day so long ago were enough to make fifteen year old Misaki Himura sick to her stomach.

She bit down on the bullet harder as her pale fingers expertly loaded the revolver, sliding a single bullet in at a time. Her revolver in her hands comforted the troubled teenager despite the fact it was the same weapon she'd used during her time under her master's tutelage. It served as a reminder of why she became a Vampire Hunter. She plucked the seventh bullet from her lips and slid in after kissing it for good luck, a simple ritual of hers before she engaged in a hunt. Onyx choppy bangs obscured her face when she tilted her head down but her cursed eyes shone with determination once she'd lifted her head. She reminded herself again that she had to keep her head clear of distractions and focus on her mission. She slapped the cylinder back into place and cocked the hammer, loading it up for the first shot. She began walking up to the building where she knew the targets were residing, waiting for her to step into their trap. She grasped the revolver in her left hand and unbuttoned her white trench coat with her right as she walked.

The chilly wind whipped her trench coat open immediately to reveal black skinny jeans, a white belt with a silver buckle, maroon turtleneck long sleeved shirt and knee length heeled gray boots. There were two leather weapon straps on either leg, five inches above each knee. Each weapon strap held two throwing knives and at her back were two pouches with bullets hanging by her belt loops. She was more then prepared even though she knew the extra ammunition wasn't necessary. Precautions were always welcomed in the Vampire Hunter world despite how cocky the Hunter would feel.

She kicked the door open with her right foot and allowed herself in. She kept her pace even and didn't hesitate as she ventured into the lobby of the room. Their eyes burned scarlet as they eyed her from the shadows and she pretended to be oblivious. She knew their hunger burned their chests and throats. Their only desire was blood. She stopped in the center of the room and casually propped her right hand on her hip, waving her revolver around the air to show them she wasn't frightened. Her lips parted and the words that left them were spoken in a terrifyingly sweet voice. The voice of a being that knew no malice despite living in the world that she did.

"My, is this any way to greet a tasty guest? You vampires sure are rude. Your behavior shames the pureblood that created you."

"_Tsssss_~ Are _you_ trying to insult us?" A male hissed at her and she caught moment in the left corner of her eye.

"Insult you? No, your existence is insult enough." The young Vampire Hunter replied flatly and waved her revolver around one more time to gesture at them all with it. All sweetness and cheer was gone from her voice now, as if that voice had not been hers just a moment ago.

"You should _beg_ for your life before we drink you _dry_~" Another distorted male's voice resonated from behind her.

"I'll tell you what, vampires, I'll spare your lives if you give me the name of the pureblood who created you. Does that sound fair, you little pricks?" She asked as she spread her arms wide open, awaiting to hear their response.

There was a hiss followed by the sound of a breeze blowing against a moving target. One clawed hand tried to grasp her face. It wanted nothing more than to claim the delightful snack before it. She thrust her left arm in the direction of the oncoming vampire without even looking at it. She squeezed the trigger and fired the shot. The bullet whizzed right through the vampire, having landed right in the center of his forehead. There was a semi-gurgled scream before the creature of night became a pile of ashes.

"I'll take that as a no. Very well then. I've been waiting to kill for quite a few days now." She whispered apathetically as the soft '_click_' of her revolver notified her that the next shot was ready to be fired.

As if on cue, the remaining five lunged from her from all directions at once. She exhaled a soft sigh and closed her eyes. She focused on feeling their presence and its relation to her position. The rushed footsteps sounded all around her but she was calm. She thrust her arm forward and fired a shot, cocking the hammer again to ready the next shot. A step back and a thrust of her right hand forward was all she needed to do to halt his lunge for her. She fired the shot and turned her back to the disintegrating vampire. She pointed straight ahead of her reloading for the the next shot before she fired once. She moved her hand thirty degrees to the right while reloading and fired another shot. She then swiftly turned on her heels, reaching out to grasp his throat before she pulled the trigger. She reloaded and pressed the muzzle into his open mouth and fired the shot. Her eyes slowly fluttered open as she lazily turned her gaze towards the staircase, her cursed eyes meeting the scarlet ones of the only remaining vampire.

"You shouldn't be smiling. I still have one bullet left." She stated as she stepped over the piles of ashes at her feet and made her way to the smiling vampire. She reloaded the revolver, letting him listen to the soft 'c_lick' _sound that announced that the seventh bullet was ready to be fired.

"You're as skilled as they said you'd be." He stated as his smile only grew wider.

"I'm flattered that you've heard of my work." She replied as she further closed the distance between them, stopping once she was at the foot of the staircase. She gazed up at him, her arms relaxed at her sides but her revolver was still held in her left hand. "Will you tell me now who made you?"

"You really want to know the name, don't you? Why?" He asked as he cocked his head to the side.

"Purebloods are the only ones with the power to create other vampires through a bite mark; however, there are only about a handful left. That makes the list of possible criminals short but it'd be even shorter if you just gave me a name." She explained with great disinterest. "Besides, sharing the information means I won't kill you. I think that's a fair price for a name, _don't you_?"

"I don't know. _Is it_?" He retorted and his eyes roamed over her body before he licked his lips slowly. "Why do you converse with me, child? Why not just shoot me?"

"I am in no hurry to finish my assignment." She replied simply and shrugged her shoulders.

"What if I try to run away?" He taunted and gestured back to the open window behind him.

She slowly craned her head to the right to peek over his shoulder from her position. A few feet behind him there was a grand window. It was wide open and the cool breeze that blew in ruffled the curtains about. She then slowly leaned back to her original position and gave the vampire a small smile.

"You wouldn't run away from me. I've **never** failed a mission and I **always** eliminate my target."

"Of course, I know that. It's what makes you well known despite your young age but I still question your motives... I'm still alive and you're talking to me."

A small smile crept across her lips and she shrugged her right shoulder a bit. "I've allowed you to live until this very moment because I find you fascinating. You're a Level E yet your _sanity_ is all there. You're even in control of your _hunger_. Here I am, standing with my guard lowered but you haven't made a move."

"Did you think that it's perhaps because I'm **not** a Level E?" He questioned as he sized up the young Vampire Hunter again. "Are you following orders _blindly_, child?"

"We Vampire Hunters are mere weapons that fight for the sake of humanity. My duty is to follow orders without hesitation. That is why I act. I do not need reasons to guide my actions. All I need is my revolver and a list." She recited as the words flew out of her lips automatically.

"Pity. You could've done so much more with your life."

"Funny, you could've as well." She replied as she raised her left arm up, aiming her revolver at the vampire.

"It was fun to chat with you, Lady Luck." He whispered as a smile spread across his lips and he seemed very human in that instance. A fragile human with eyes the color of blood and skin like ivory. A twisted smile plastered on his face that only reflected suffering instead of happiness.

"Likewise, Sir Tao."

She fired the final shot, striking the vampire's heart as their gazes were locked on each other's. She could see the scarlet fading from his eyes as they gained their natural hazel color. His body slowly leaned back while his blood splattered behind him. He collapsed on to the stairs and disintegrated into ashes. She slowly opened her revolver's cylinder and emptied out the bullet casings. She the began to reload it as she walked out, stepping over the ashes of her enemies.

The chilly wind greeted her and it felt welcoming as she stepped back into the cold, tucking her revolver into its holster at her left hip. She walked over to one of the columns of the building and pressed her back against it. Lately, she couldn't stop thinking of her master. She could never forgive him for what he did to her all those years ago. She felt her hands clench into fists, fists that trembled at her sides. She slowly lowered her head as she tried to keep her entire body from shaking with rage. A single teardrop rolled down her left cheek as she realized that today marked nine years since her master had left her to die. Nine years of anger, guilt and regret were released with the first and only teardrop that the young Vampire Hunter had shed since that night. It was also the only teardrop that she planned to shed ever again.


	3. Facade

_"She pushed her feelings into the darkest corners of her mind so she could become the weapon they wanted."_

She followed the Hunter down the dimly lit corridor at fifteen feet of distance. It wasn't that she feared him or anything of the like. She simply wasn't fond of being in close proximity of people. She figured that if she kept people at a physical distance, that would prevent them from becoming emotionally close to her as well. She kept her arms loose at her sides despite the fact she felt exposed. She'd been summoned during her quiet time, a period of time she spent in the associations's library, which is why she wasn't dressed in her Hunter's uniform. She unconsciously tugged on her long sleeved plum colored shirt to adjust it and rubbed her hands on her dark gray dress pants. Her black ballet flats barely registered a sound unlike the Hunter's heavy boots. She came to a half before the large double doors and waited for the Hunter to open them, motioning her to step inside. She walked in and the doors closed immediately behind her, which could only mean that it was going to be _that_ kind of meeting.

"Misaki, how marvelous of you to _drop in_~" The all too familiar feminine voice called out from across the room.

"You summoned me..." She replied flatly as she walked up to stand closer to her. "... _Madame President_."

"Oh, dear, we can go without formalities today. After all..." She paused and Misaki could almost see her smiling behind her fan. "It is your _birthday_ today."

Misaki immediately brought her right palm to her face and pressed against it. She'd been very busy the past four months since it'd just been four months ago when she'd been allowed to take on missions alone. She no longer had to be accompanied by a senior Hunter. She'd proven to be very competent and was the top Hunter in her age group as well as holding a rank in the top ten of the entire organization. She'd stopped keeping track of the days about two weeks ago, which was the anniversary of her abandonment. She'd completely forgotten about her birthday being today. She exhaled a deep sigh and slowly moved her hand away from her face and up to the back of her onyx hair. She ruffled it about as she uttered her response and avoided eye contact with the President.

"Yeah, I guess it is... I've been busy with missions and practice sessions that the days just sort of flew by me..."

It was a big lie. She had plenty of free time lately. She'd purposely chose to be ignorant to the time.

"Well, I've been quite aware. After all, how could I not keep close tabs on my tenth best Hunter?"

"Madame President..." She whispered and kept avoiding eye contact.

She didn't know how to take compliments. They were foreign to her.

"I've for some gifts for you, Misaki." She stated simply and snapped her fingers with one hand and used the other to keep the fan right before her lips.

A Hunter walked in from the east side of the room, carrying in his arms a large gold cushion. He stopped beside Misaki and she stared at the President, who nodded at her approvingly. She then turned to gaze down at the cushion. She gazed at the items upon it in turn. Her trusty revolver was upon it and she found it a little puzzling. She didn't recall relinquishing it to anyone. It was probably taken when she left her room earlier today. There was a silver seven inch long rod looking object. There was also an envelope with the President's seal upon it on the crimson wax. She raised a brow and turned her attention back to the President.

"I do not understand. What am I looking at here?"

"I know you recognize your revolver. Modifications were made so the time it takes to reload a shot is now one and a half seconds. It's almost like an automatic. The recoil has also been lowered by about twelve percent. The little silver object there is an anti-vampire weapon that I asked to be made for you. It extended into a whip. The letter there is something meant for someone you'll see very soon; however, I do have one more gift for you..." The President stated and Misaki could've sworn she could see her grinning from behind her fan. "I have requested that you attend Cross Academy _effective immediately_."

Her cherry blossom colored eyes widened in shock. Her normally apathetic facade was shattered in that instance. The association was very well aware that the alumni at Cross Academy were humans _and_ vampires. It was Kaien's dream that vampires and humans coexist but the association was weary of such a thing, even if the legendary Vampire Hunter himself was the headmaster. She took a step forward and clenched her right hand into a fist, holding it to her chest.

"Madame President, _why_ are you sending me _there_?" She demanded as her eyes bore into the woman's olive green ones.

"Well, I thought since you've been raised here that you'd want to be living a more normal life. You'll be a student there but that doesn't mean we still won't send assignments your way when you're needed. Besides, I have noticed that you're spending more time than usual at the library and I can only assumed its because you're _pursuing_ your education."

Pursuing her education wasn't even close to what she was actually doing.

"Madame President... I... I do not know what to say... Thank you." She stated and bowed her head respectfully.

"Well, don't just stand here, Misaki. You should pack your things. You leave at dawn."

She bowed her head again and excused herself before grabbing the items from the cushion. She turned on her heels and walked towards the double doors that opened from behind to allow her to pass. She walked through the double doors and glanced over her shoulder as the doors shut. Her facade was back despite the fact she was shoving emotions down into the back of her mind. She did her best to not reveal any emotion through voice or body language since she'd learned long ago that such things were punishable. It wasn't that they viewed it as a sin but instead a hindrance. The association wanted weapons at its disposal, ones that would act and not question. It wanted complete obedience from its Hunters and she strived to achieve that; however, there were still fragments of her free will aching to be let out again. They hadn't completely broken her yet and part of her wanted to fight for that part that still made her _human_.

**Author's Note**

The gender of the Vampire Hunter Association's President has been stated to be either male or female by different characters so I decided to go with female. In the anime, we see very little of her so I feel as I might have made her a bit out of character. Anyways, one of the main protagonists will make their first appearance next chapter, which means that some of Misaki's life will be explored and things are going to start connecting. Hope this is proving interesting thus far for you readers! It's a little project I'm working on and if it doesn't do well, I shall stop it in its tracks so please leave a review if you wish to see more.


	4. Lavender

_"They'd thought they'd lost each other but in reality it was their worlds that tore them apart."_

Misaki was only three years old when she met the mirror boys. She had her onyx hair cut in a way that seemed a bit boyish, the tips of her hair pointing to her face from all directions. Her cherry blossom colored eyes had drawn the attention of the lavender eyed boys. All three had found themselves staring at each other from across the room, hiding behind the legs of their mothers. It was the first time Misaki had been around other children and these boys were strange to her. They looked exactly the same from head to toe but the only difference was the color of their shirts. One wore a blue shirt and the other one a green one. Their mothers had ushered the children together and left the room to talk, giving the children unsupervised time.

The one in the blue shirt stepped towards her first while the boy in the green shirt clung to the other's shirt. He'd held his hand out for her and smiled. She'd held his gaze before staring at his hand. She slowly reached out and took it. They shook hands and she took a step back. She'd babbled her name and the boy in the blue shirt said his name then said the name of the boy behind him. They were brothers and she was the first girl they'd ever met. That had been the first time Misaki had met the Kiryu twins and they became the only ones in the world with whom she formed the bond of friendship.

"Damn, why am I thinking of _them_ now of all times...?" Misaki whispered to herself as she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror.

She had been packing her belongings to leave for Cross Academy when she became distracted with her thoughts after discovering a silver ring with a topaz gem. The ring was far too small and she began to wonder why she held it. It was then that she remembered that one of the Hunters who'd helped train her had gifted it to her in hopes it would motivate her. That Hunter had been the mother of the Kiryu twins but she was unable to remember the woman's name. She recalled she was a very pretty woman with her dark blonde hair and eyes that burned with motherly love. It was all she could remember of her but that had caused her to think of her sons. For some reason, thinking about the time she'd spent with them made her heart ache. She slammed her palm against the mirror, cracking it slightly and found herself taking in her appearance for the first time in quite some time.

Her skin was snow-white and its color seemed lighter due to her silky onyx hair. She had her hair cut very short, ending right above the nape of her neck. It was a pixie cut with many layers that gave it a natural shaggy appearance. She had choppy bangs that ended right below her eyes but were cut in a very uneven manner, as if she'd fought her hair with scissors and lost but it didn't seem unfitting. She could see through them just fine and they were the only thing of her hair that'd remained the same for the past five years. She had two strands of hair, one on each side of her face, that went down to her chest. They were the longest part of her hair and had only grown to such a length because she'd grown lazy when it came to cutting her hair.

She noticed how her slender figure was accentuated by her melon colored high collar off-shoulder knit blouse and light blue skinny jeans. The blouse's color complimented her eyes in a way that made their color more vibrant. She carefully slid her black leather belt through the loops around her waist and secured it before she attached her gun holster to it on her left hip. She picked up her revolver from the desk, exhaling a deep breath at the sensation of the cool metal beneath her hot skin. She slid her revolver into its holster and ensured it was secure before she pulled on her white trench coat. She didn't bother to button it because one of the buttons had been torn off two days ago when she'd tried to yank it open. She didn't want to risk losing more buttons. She slipped the ring into the pocket of trench coat and patted it. She turned and grabbed her duffel bag, slinging it over one shoulder and taking one final glance at the bleak room she'd called hers for the majority of her life. She slowly closed the door behind herself and didn't look back as she embarked on the new chapter of her life. 

* * *

><p>Several hours later, Misaki stood at the front gate of Cross Academy, duffel bag hanging from her left shoulder. She had been standing there for ten minutes and there was no sign of anyone coming anytime soon. She frowned and glanced around, noticing that the walls weren't too high for her to jump over. She walked a few feet from the gate and towards the wall, hoisting her duffel bag over it with ease. She then stepped back a few feet and took a running start, throwing her arms up as she neared the wall. She managed to grasp on the wall's edge and kicked against it as she hoisted herself on to it. She sat on the edge and threw her legs over the wall completely before jumping off. She landed crouched down beside her duffel bag and slowly stood up, testing the weight on her ankles.<p>

"Good, I don't seem to have sprained anything." She whispered and leaned down to grab the duffel bag.

She began to walk through the forest, scrunching up her nose at the scent of pine and oak amongst other forestry. She walked for several minutes and began to see a white building peeking from behind the line of trees before her. She sped up her pace, her knee length heeled gray boots crunching up twigs and leaves every now and then. She began to feel a presence and her jaw tightened at the impending threat. It was closing in, she could feel it. She began to run, holding her duffel bag in place with her right hand as her left hand was held upon her gun's holster. She stopped at a clearing and dropped her duffel bag, narrowing her eyes as she unfastened her revolver from her holster. She pulled it out and spun around, aiming her revolver at the presence she felt.

A gleaming silver gun was aimed right back at her. A talk young man she'd mistaken for a vampire hunting her down was standing there, his gun pointed at her. He had silver hair, a very unique color that caught her eye. He was dressed in what seemed like a school uniform but looked like it wasn't worn properly. His skin was snow-white like hers but he didn't look as pale as her. That's when she noticed it: _cherry blossom had met lavender_. Those eyes reminded her of his eyes, the eyes that once gazed at her with warmth and understanding but these eyes reflected nothing but hatred, shame and regret. These eyes and their burning gaze _terrified_ her, a Vampire Hunter.

She was frozen in her tracks, simply gazing into those frightful eyes. The sound of a gunshot resonating pulled her from her thoughts. She instinctively glanced down, noticing the crimson staining her white trench coat. It was then she felt the pain spreading through her upper torso. She coughed up blood as the world began to spin around her. She dropped on to her knees and then collapsed facedown on the grass. It was in those fleeting moments before she lost consciousness that she realized he'd shot her. The young man with eyes that reminded her of _his_ had shot her and she could feel herself slipping. After all these years, she was going to die at the hands of a _human_ instead of a vampire.


	5. Fragment

_"All she ever wanted was to live a normal life and hold on to her loved ones."_

Etsuko Fukui gave Misaki all the love a mother could possibly give a child. She'd always lay in bed with her until she fell asleep and kissed her forehead goodnight. Her milky pink eyes gazed at her daughter happily as the little girl played. She'd always set time aside to have tea with her daughter alone without any attendants. She was a frail and sickly woman but she always seemed so full of life around her darling girl. She was also fiercely protective of her daughter, only allowing very few people to touch her or even look at her. Shuichi Himura was nothing like his wife and the mother of his child. He was a man who had a few lovers and it was rumored in the household that he'd fathered other children aside from Misaki. He never viewed Misaki as his daughter. He saw her as a tool he intended to use to fall back in favor of the Vampire Hunter Association. He was a cruel man who'd been striped of his rank and exiled from the world of a Hunter. He wanted to restore the Himuras as a Vampire Hunter family and he'd briefly succeeded. After he'd been shunned from the world he was obsessed with, he eloped with his wife and fathered a child shortly after. He'd waited for the child to turn three before thrusting her into the world of a Hunter.

A man had been hired to train Misaki but he'd refused until she was at least the age of five. Shuichi hadn't taken no for an answer and began to train his child himself, subjecting her to lacerations when she failed to perform to his expectations or he became frustrated with her. The child endured such punishment for a month before Etsuko found out and fled with her daughter. She fled to the temporary home of friends of hers: the Kiryus. She'd been well received and left her daughter to play with the Kiryu twins. The twins had been a sight for young Misaki, who was more than baffled by the "_mirror boys_". She wanted to call them green and blue but blue was Zero and green was Ichiru. The trio had then promptly ensued in horseplay with Ichiru struggling to keep up. Misaki and Zero cheered Ichiru on to chase them while they ran to the twins' room. Misaki happily jumped on their bed as Zero berated her for making their bed a mess. Ichiru joined then at last, panting for breath, but happily smiling as his older twin brother struggled to calm down the boisterous girl.

She had played with the boys for several hours before they all fell asleep on the messy bed. Zero was in the center, his left arm wrapped around Misaki while the right arm was wrapped around Ichiru. Ichiru was curled up against his brother like usual, breathing very softly. Misaki clung to Zero's shirt, her head resting on his chest. Their mothers had chuckled at the sight and Etsuko covered them in a blanket and ushered her friend out of the room. They'd left the children to sleep undisturbed. The very next day, Etsuko had moved in with Misaki into the home of the Kiryu and the children were more than delighted. They'd thought they'd be like that forever but two years later, Etsuko passed and Misaki was handed over to the man who would be her first mentor. Those fleeting moments prior to Etsuko's death became her fondest memories, some of the very few she still clung to; however, almost everything after that simply vanished from her mind into a dark abyss she didn't dare pry into. 

* * *

><p>Misaki's eyes slowly fluttered open and she instinctively reached up to wipe away tears she knew had stained her cheeks. She slowly tilted her head left then right, taking in her surroundings but she didn't recognize anything. Her heart skipped a beat as panic began to rise. She tried to shove the panic down as she tried to remember the last thing she could recall. Her thin brows furrowed as she tried to think, praying she didn't unearth a forgotten memory in the process. Her right hand reached up to rub her numb left shoulder and she paused as she felt a tinge of pain weave through her. She glanced down and noticed her shoulder had been bandaged and bandages were the only thing keeping her upper torso decent. She ignored her current appearance as she recalled she'd been shot.<p>

"Tch—! Idiot!" She hissed as she slapped the covers.

She'd completely frozen in front of that guy.

All those years of training and achieving her reputation had been thrown out the window when their gazes had met. Everything about him reminded her of the twins, the ones who'd become her first and only friends in the world. More specifically, this man reminded her of the twin with whom she'd been closest to but the looks in their eyes couldn't have been further apart. She shuddered and squeezed her arms to herself to keep herself calm. The doorknob jiggled and she began desperately trying to sit up. She found herself with no strength to sit up from the bed so she settled for looking for a weapon within arms' reach. She swatted at the air as she tried to reach for the lamp on the nightstand, swatting more furiously with each passing second. The door suddenly swung open and she froze, preparing for the worst case scenario but instead winced at the sight that greeted her.

A tall man with long blonde hair tied into a ponytail stood at the doorway, hazel eyes gazing at her from behind his glasses while he smiled cheerfully at her. She ignored all other details about him as she focused on the over-sized lion feet slippers he wore and the pink apron upon his body. Her lips parted but no sound came out. He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. His smile immediately vanished and he seemed to gaze at her coldly. He walked right up to the bed she laid upon and sat on the chair beside it, staring at her still and she slowly retracted her arm to lay at her sides over the covers. She tilted her head towards him and blinked a few times as she finally recognized him. This was the _legendary Vampire Hunter_, Kaien Cross, her idol since she was a child. Her lower lip quivered as she tried to speak again but the excitement of seeing her idol in person without any business being involved was thrilling.

"It's good to see you again, Misaki." He stated and she nearly squealed as he uttered her name.

"L-likewise, Kaien-sama." She managed to whisper as she bit her lower lip to keep from squealing.

"I apologize on behalf of my student. I understand that he shot you."

"Yeah but I guess I had it coming. I did jump over the wall to get here when no one came to get me. I proceeded to wander around until I felt an unnerving presence. I pulled out _Orpheus_ and aimed at him. Then without warning he shot my shoulder. After that, I'm not sure what happened." She explained and she felt a strange sensation bubbling in her stomach. It felt as if nausea was rising within her out of nowhere.

"_Orpheus_?" He inquired as he raised an eyebrow. The name seemed to put him a little on edge.

"It's what I named my revolver. It felt proper to name the weapon that's kept me alive all these years." She replied and shrugged her good shoulder.

"I see... Well, I was informed that you collapsed after you'd been shot. Perhaps it was because the bullet cut right through your shoulder. It left quite a hole but it'll heal. Lucky for you that you aren't a vampire or you'd be in serious trouble."

"Kaien-sama..." She began as the realization dawned upon her. "Are you saying I was shot with an _anti-vampire weapon_...?"

"Yes but you and I both know it poses no side effects for us or any threat. You're body will heal in time and not even a scar will be left."

Scars were the least of her problems. An anti-vampire weapon typically meant one thing: _Hunter_.

"By the way, Misaki, I would like to know why a Vampire Hunter is now in my academy." He stated and his eyes were obscured behind the gleam of his glasses.

"I actually have a letter for you but it was in trench coat." She stated and glanced around the room again, taking note of her surroundings again before she settled her gaze on the door. She then turned to gaze back at Kaien. "Would you mind, Kaien-sama? It's in the right inner pocket."

The older Hunter slowly stood up and walked over to the door, sliding his hand into the pocket and pulling out the white sealed envelope. He turned it over and she could tell he'd seen the seal. He stood there a moment longer before he walked back towards her. He sat back down on the chair and ripped the envelope open and pulled out a few folded papers. Misaki promptly turned her head the other way to give him privacy to read the letter while she left her mind drift. She wasn't sure how much time had passed by before he abruptly stood up, causing the chair to squeak as it scraped the hardwood floor. She slowly rolled over in time to see him marching towards the door.

He paused at the door for a second before he uttered the words softly. "Welcome to Cross Academy." He then slammed the door shut and she felt her bones rattle in her body from the force.

Silence enveloped her and she welcomed it before it was shattered.

The door had creaked open only moments after Kaien had bitterly stormed out. She wondered if perhaps he was returning to yell at her. She propped herself up on her elbows and with great struggle managed to sit up, laying back on the abundance of pillows behind her. She clasped her hands together and waited patiently while the door slowly creaked open all the way. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw her shooter slowly step into the room. His head was lowered and there was no way he could see her but she could clearly see him. He gently closed the door behind himself and made his way towards the bed. Her heart began to race in terror as she saw him sit on the bed, just a few inches away from her. His back was turned towards her and his body seemed tense. There was silence between them as neither dared to break it. Moments drifted away before Misaki projected her facade and broke their silence.

"You shot me." She whispered but there was no anger in her voice or fear.

"I know." He responded immediately.

"Why?" She asked as she stared at his shoulder.

"I thought you were a _vampire_." He responded automatically and she felt as if he'd rehearsed his responses and her possible words.

"I'm **not**."

"I know that **now**."

Her eye twitched in annoyance before she snapped on him.

"God, would it kill you to _look_ at me?!" She demanded, letting her anger slip through her mask. It was one thing to shoot someone and it was another to shoot them and give them one's back as a conversation was being held.

He seemed to tense more but his shoulders visibly relaxed after some time as he shifted in the bed. He turned his body so it was facing her but his head was lowered. He slowly tilted his head up and opened his eyes. Lavender met cherry blossom again and her breath was caught in her throat again. They gazed into each other's eyes and she could see his gaze softening and being replaced with recognition. His eyes then widened and she could almost see the fragment of the boy she used to know. For the briefest of seconds, she did not see the silver haired and lavender eyed man before her, she saw the young boy who comforted her and stood by her side no matter what they faced. She could see it in his eyes that he wasn't seeing her, he was seeing his childhood friend as well. He was seeing the girl who cheered them on and always helped them get into mischief. Her right hand tentatively reached out to cup his left cheek and his left hand rose to rest over hers. They held each other's gaze and Misaki was the first to break the silence again.

"Zero..." She breathed his name ever so softly and her heart thumped in her ears.

"Misaki..." He whispered as he gazed at her, fearing she'd suddenly vanish if he took his eyes away from her.

It was in that instance that they'd uttered the other's name for the first time in a decade that caused their facades to shatter. They left themselves completely exposed to one another but it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was that they had found each other again and neither seemed to intend to let go ever again.


	6. Monster

_"The truth is only as true as what we accept it to be _

_because in the end, even the _

_lies we tell ourselves are true."_

"Zero..." She breathed his name softly again, still unable to bring herself to believe she was seeing him at last.

His lavender eyes tore away from her face and he reached out to embrace her, pulling her close to his body. He buried his face between her neck and shoulder. She managed to squeeze her hand through a gap in his embrace and ran her fingers through his silky strands. He inhaled her scent, a bittersweet mixture of gardenias and gun powder. His mind was trying to wrap around the fact she was by his side again, her body pressing against his. He could hear her heart racing in her chest, overcome by joy and other emotions she'd forgotten. Questions danced across her lips but she couldn't bring herself to shatter this silence between then that felt so comforting and nurturing. A realization dawned upon him and he immediately placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her away from himself. She blinked and placed both hands on either of his cheeks, gazing into his eyes. Those beautiful lavender eyes of him reflected such sorrow and guilt that it was tearing at her heart, cracking the shell she'd created.

"I shot you..." He choked out and she could see the way his jaw locked tight, internally beating himself up over it.

"Zero... No..." She whispered as her thumbs caressed the area beneath his eyes as if she were wiping away invisible tears. "It was an accident."

"I should've known... Our eyes _met_ and yet I... I couldn't see it was you... I... I shot you." The words were bitter and filled with self loathing. His eyes screamed decibels that his lips couldn't utter.

She could see it written all over his face, the amount of guilt he felt. It wasn't just guilt that was eating at him. There was a mixture of emotions but she couldn't quite distinguish them all. There was the obvious self loathing because he'd inflicted pain on someone dear to him. There was the shame of not knowing who she was earlier. There was sorrow because she was in pain because of him. Beneath the array of emotions there was something else. Something that yearned to see more of her blood spilled. Something that wanted her to writhe in pain beneath him. It was so primal in nature, something she'd seen only in... _vampires_.

She tensed as the word crossed her mind and her fingers curled against his cheek before she willed herself to speak. "Stop this. It won't do you any good to beat yourself over this." She then wrapped her arms around him and held his head to her chest so he could listen to her heartbeat. "Zero, as long as this heart _beats_ inside my chest, I won't let you blame yourself for **anything** that happens to me, okay?"

Her words sunk in easily but her actions didn't sink in until after several more moments. He hadn't realized she was embracing him to herself the way she'd done a few times when they were kids. It had been her way of showing she could protect him, that she'd do anything for him. He tensed as he felt her words had an underlying meaning to them. _Did she know he was a vampire? Were her words telling him that if he drank her dry, ending her life, she wouldn't blame him? Would she still accept him if he became a monster?_ Those questions tormented him and he felt himself trembling in her embrace. The wretched _hunger_ for blood was rising and that gunshot wound was expelling a seductive aroma. It took all his strength of will to break himself free from her embrace, abruptly standing up and stepping away from the bed, leaving her there with a puzzled expression as her arms flopped down on to the covers.

"Zero...?" Her voice called out to him softly, silently beckoning him to come to her side again.

"I have to go." He stated and strode off to the door in a haste.

His fingers clenched the doorknob tightly and he swung the door open with force. She could've sworn he nearly tore it off its hinges. He then stepped through and slammed it close behind himself. She sat there, dumbfounded as dozens of questions echoed in her mind. She grasped the sides of her head and winced as she felt the tension had unearthed a memory she'd shoved into the corners of her mind. She grasped her hair as tightly as she could and pleaded with herself but to no avail. The memory was unearthed and it would not go unheard.

_"I... I can't do this!" Misaki cried and brought her small fists to her eyes in an attempt to keep them from shedding._

_"Misaki, I know that you don't really understand why you have to be able to do this but would you mind telling me what it is you feel..?" Her soft voice called out, trying to soothe the child she'd tried to help raise._

_"I don't understand why we have to kill them! They're **people**!" She shrieked and couldn't bring herself to look as she heard an inhuman wail._

_"Misaki, these creatures... They **aren't** human. They are **vampires**."_

_The woman stated as she extended her hands to reveal the wire she held between her delicate fingers. She leapt forward to close the distance between them and the creature. She elegantly poised herself beside it and wrapped the wire around its neck, tugging with he gentle fingers that tended to wipe away Misaki's tears. Those same fingers coiled around the wire and tugged hard, slicing through the man's neck with ease. Her partner stepped up and delivered a blow to his heart with the tip of his blade._

_Misaki's lower lip quivered as she witnessed the duo slaughter a human being. They insisted it **wasn't** human. They kept trying to tell her that it was a vampire and that killing one shouldn't make her feel guilt. She couldn't believe that Zero and Ichiru's parents could be so cruel. She wished they hadn't asked permission to take her from the association for a day. She kept clutching at her hair as she tried to steady her breathing. Her revolver laid forgotten by her feet and she couldn't keep her lunch down anymore. She doubled over and released a mixture of bile and the remains of her lunch from her lips. She wiped at her lips and chin with the back of her sleeve while they approached her, concern etched upon their features._

_"Do you see now, Misaki? These things aren't human. Humans don't turn to ash when they die. Our existence remains while theirs is erased in seconds. We **have** to kill them to make sure mankind **survives**."_

_That statement was cruel. It was sickening to think that is what they believed._

_"Would you kill me too if I became a vampire...?" The young girl asked before she tilted her head up to meet their gaze._

_"Yes." The couple answered in unison._

_There had been no hesitation in their voice. Their eyes showed nothing but determination and a loyalty to fulfill their duties that Misaki found unnerving. To think that they wouldn't even hesitate to kill her if she became a vampire, that they would easily end her life like they had to the vampires she'd seen today. That made her stomach churn and tears blur her vision. She'd refused to utter another word to the pair or even look at them for the rest of the day. After they'd returned her to the association, Misaki had requested they'd never be allowed to see her again. She'd ceased to see them as guardians. She saw them as ruthless killers, no better than the monsters they claimed to hunt. It was that moment that had made her realize that: humans were no different than vampires. In the end, everyone was a **monster**._

"I am a _monster_..." She whispered to herself after the memory had drifted back into the corners of her mind.

She managed to slither out of bed and land on the floor after several minutes of struggling. She exhaled a heavy breath and rose to her feet. She noticed that only her bra, blouse and boots had been removed. She noticed her missing articles sitting on top of a dresser, folded up neatly in a stack. She winced a little as she reached to undo the little clasp that held the bandages together before unraveling them from her body. The bandages fell upon the carpet and she inspected the wound in the dresser's mirror.

The wound was beginning to scar already but the burning pink tinge was there. She wasn't bleeding anymore but there was caked blood smeared across her skin. She carefully ran a finger across the pink flesh and her lips tugged into a small smile. There was no pain but she did feel sore when she made force or tried to move her left arm. She carefully slid on her bra and hooked it, feeling a little wave of pain course through her left shoulder. She bit her lower lip as she tugged on her blouse before muttering a curse under her breath. Two clothing articles down, only a few more to go.

She sat on the floor and slowly shoved her feet into her boots before rising to her feet. She patted her left hip and noticed her holster missing. If her holster was missing, that meant her revolver was as well. She kicked the dresser with her right foot and cursed herself for keeping it in an obvious location. She grabbed her trench coat and thought of sliding it on but the blood stain was there. She did have a slowly scarring wound so what more harm could it do to wear a bloodstained trench coat? She slid it on so it simply rested on her shoulders and grabbed her duffel bag, turning the doorknob to open the door, only to come face to face with a brunette.

They stared at one another in silence before the brunette smiled happily and held her right hand up, waving it a little.

"Hi, I'm Yuki Cross. The Headmaster sent me here to get you." She stated and held her arms out. "Let me help you with your bag."

"Okay...?" She mumbled as she slowly handed her bag over to the girl, who seemed about ready to double over at the weight of it. "I'm Mi—"

"I know who you are, Misaki-san. Headmaster told me about you and said I'm going to be your guide while you settle in to Cross Academy."

"Oh... Thank you, I guess." She muttered and shifted uncomfortably.

"Follow me and I'll show you to your room." Yuki stated cheerfully and spun on her heels to take the lead.

Misaki stared at the girl's retreating figure before she joined her after closing the door of the room she'd been in. Yuki seemed to radiate cheerfulness and such a thing was foreign to someone who'd grown up surrounded by grim faced adults that delighted in killing vampires. She didn't understand how someone could be so happy when their world was always at war. Vampires and humans were always fighting for supremacy and survival. She was walking very slowly and hadn't noticed that Yuki had slowed down to match her steps until her cheerful voice piped up again.

"I'm sorry Zero shot you. He's been on edge lately."

"It's fine. I did sort of break in here."

Yuki' brows creased as she pouted, mumbling about Zero in a manner that made Misaki want to smile. "He should've been more careful. He's so quick to point _Bloody Rose_ at anyone. I swear, one of these days, even his own shadow might come face to face with _Bloody Rose_."

Misaki's lips released a faint giggle that she quickly muffled out by clasping her hand over her mouth. It did not go by unnoticed by Yuki, for she stopped and turned to face her abruptly.

"Did you... just giggle...?"

Misaki slowly moved her hand from her lips and smiled a little. "Maybe~"

The brunette gazed at the girl, wondering what it was about her that had seemed to put the Headmaster on edge when he'd told her she'd be joining the academy as soon as she was well enough to attend. There was something dancing in those cherry blossomed colored eyes that were hidden by thick black lashes when she looked away from her. Her skin was snow-white, as if she'd never been in daylight before. She was eighteen centimeters taller than her, making her feel very small and insignificant beside her. The way Misaki moved told Yuki that this was a girl who didn't hesitate when confronted with something. She had an air of confidence around her but Yuki wasn't sure if confidence was the right word. This girl was very different from any classmate she had and for split second, Yuki found herself thinking that Misaki possessed elegance and beauty that was on par with the Night Class students. It was in that instance that Yuki found herself _envious_ of Misaki but she quickly shoved those feelings down. She shoved them deep into the back of her mind and silently vowed to never let such thoughts plague her mind.

* * *

><p>"That concludes the tour!" Yuki piped up cheerfully and crossed her arms behind her back as she leaned back on her heels to gaze up at Misaki. "Any questions, Misaki-san?"<p>

"None. Well... Actually, would you mind just calling me Misaki? Formalities make me uncomfortable." She stated and met the younger girl's gaze.

"Of course not. It's not a problem, Misaki!" She clapped her hands together and beamed up at her expectantly.

Misaki looked at Yuki then at her hand, which was poised above the doorknob. "Ummm... Is there anything else...? I'd really like to retire to my room now. Touring the entire campus was a little more exercise than I'm used used to." She lied but there was no way the brunette would be able to see through it. Misaki was only as readable as she allowed herself to be; however, in this moment she wasn't revealing anything but feigned exhaustion.

"Oh, well then I'll let you rest. I'll come by to check on you tomorrow or if you're feeling better, maybe I'll see you in class. You do remember the way, right?"

"Of course. Good night, Yuki." She smiled one last time and turned the doorknob to enter her room for the first time, watching Yuki run off to attend to her duties.

She stepped into the room and slowly closed the door behind herself, pressing her back against it. She blinked as she realized how spacious the room was. It was easily about five times the size of the room she lived in back at the association. There was a Queen sized bed in the center of the room, the headboard pressed agains the wall behind it. There was a black nightstand on either side of the bed, both with a lamp resting upon it and adjacent to a window. There were two dressers against the right wall beside a door. On the left wall was another door beside a black vintage vanity dresser, its large opal shaped mirror facing the wall across from it. The chair in front of it was black as well but the design of its back reminded her of vines wrapping over each other with a single rose resting at the very top.

The design and layout of the room was unsettling. She was positive that not every other student had a room this luxurious. Did Kaien make special accommodations for her? She wouldn't doubt it after his behavior when he'd read the letter. A knock upon her door caused her to jump and spin away from it. She stared at the door as if she could see through it. It hadn't been that long since Yuki left her side, probably no more than five minutes ago. She must've doubled back to mention whatever it was she had wanted to tell her earlier. She smiled a little and opened the door, putting on her best cheerful expression that she developed after observing Yuki's for the better part of the day.

"Yuki, did you remember what you wanted to say—" Misaki cut herself off as she bumped into the figure in her doorway.

Her nose bumped against the figure, which resulted in her abrupt silence mid-sentence. She took a step back and found herself gazing up at Zero. Her eyes widened in shock at seeing him for the first time today after he'd abruptly left her side earlier this morning. She tilted her head to the side but didn't step aside to let him. She was blocking the doorway, thereby preventing him from barging in like he seemed to intend. The look plastered on his face read that he didn't care one way or another but his eyes showed he took offense to her stance. He exhaled a heavy sigh as he readied himself for whatever it was she wanted to yell at him.

"Misaki, I—"

"Totally ditched me." She cut in and frowned, showing she wasn't too pleased about that.

"Look, I didn't meant to—"

"But you did it anyways." She chimed in, cutting him off once again and causing him to make a third attempt to explain himself.

"I was going to come back—"

"But you didn't, you—"

"Would you let me talk?" Zero demanded as he grew frustrated of her chiming in when he'd barely gotten a few words out.

The way in which he snapped wasn't how he used to be as a child. Then again, it had been a decade since they'd seen each other. She threw her arms up defensively to indicate she'd be quiet now and let him explain himself.

"Misaki, I needed to get some fresh air. Seeing you after all this time, it was too much for me, especially after last night's incident. When I came back, you were gone. I went to see the Headmaster after that and he told me he'd sent Yuki to get you. She was going to be your guide. I spent the better part of today searching for you."

"Why?" She couldn't help but ask the question.

"To give you _this_..." He extended his right hand out to her, holding a black plastic bag. "The Headmaster said you could have these back if you promised **not** to use them on school grounds."

She snatched the bag from him and walked over to the vanity mirror, digging through the it eagerly. She smiled as she pulled out her gun holster with her beloved revolver _Orpheus_ sitting snug within it. She then pulled out the metal rod and inspected it, turning it in her palms as she wondered how exactly she was supposed to use it. She turned to Zero and smiled, feeling safe now that the weapons were back in her possession.

"Thank you, Zero. You've no idea how relieved I am to have these again."

He took a step forward, taking in her appearance before he spoke the question that had plagued his mind all day.

"Is _it_ true...?"

The words were spoken so softly that Misaki almost missed them.

She blinked and glanced at the carpet before meeting his gaze. "Is what true, Zero?"

His shoulders tensed and his hands clenched into fists.

"Is it true you're a Vampire Hunter?"

Misaki gripped the edge of the dresser she was standing beside as his question slammed into her with a force she was certain could crush her. It was something she hadn't planned on informing him of, at least not yet. The Headmaster had revealed to Zero who she was. He'd done so without her consent. There was a mixture of anger and guilt swimming in the out of her stomach. She wasn't prepared to face this question. Admitting to Zero meant she was _admitting_ to being a _monster_. It was one thing to admit to vampires and fellow hunters that she was a Hunter herself but to admit this to Zero was if she was stating she was going to slaughter every vampire in her path. She wished she could hide, run away or simply vanish so she could avoid the answer but it was too late for that. Zero already knew but he **wanted** _her_ to confirm the truth he was already aware of. She swallowed hard and spoke the words she feared would forever shatter their bond.

"Yes, it's true. I am a Vampire Hunter. I am a _monster_."


	7. Betrayal

_"She should've eliminated them when she had the chance."_

It had been two days since she'd been forced to admit to Zero that she was a Vampire Hunter. It had been an awkward and heated conversation. She'd practically thrown a tantrum while Zero had been put in a position that he couldn't hold back much of his anger. They'd shouted nonsense at one another, none of which was either relevant nor necessary. They hadn't spoken a word to each other since. They'd seen each other around campus but he avoided making eye contact. Their argument resonated in her thoughts at every possible chance and she felt as she was stuck reliving that moment. She came to a halt in the hallway, reaching up to press the heel of her right palm against her forehead in an effort to silence the memory.

_"How can you say that?" He demanded as the word '**monster**' seemed to stab him repeatedly since she'd uttered it. "You are **NOT** a monster, Misaki!"_

_"But I am!" She shouted as her fists trembled at her sides._

_"Misaki... Why... Why did you become one...?"_

_"I was never given a choice. I was forced to become one or they were going to get rid of me. They weren't going to babysit me or care for me out of the kindness of their hearts. They told me the moment they took me in..." She paused as she bit her lower lip before continuing. "They told me that unless I wanted to be thrown back on to the streets that I was going to become one of them."_

_"Misaki you should've—"_

_"What was I supposed to do, Zero?! I was only six years old!" She shouted, cutting him off as she trembled._

_Her eyes reflected the words she couldn't bring herself to say aloud. It was undeniable anger at having her childhood ripped from her fingers. The gleam in her eyes that showed how furious she was that she'd been forced to become something she hated. The frustration of always fighting against herself for who she is and what she is. Her inner turmoil had been too much for Zero to bear witness. There were things in her eyes he'd seen that made him feel a burning fury rising from within. That was when they both realized that being near each other wasn't going to do any of them any good._

She slowly exhaled a deep breath and collected herself. She stepped into the classroom and her eyes wandered around, taking note of the many faces before she zeroed in on Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu. Zero seemed to be napping from where she stood. Yuki was happily engaged in a conversation with a female student. She happily bounded up the stairs to stand beside them just in time to catch bits of a conversation. What she managed to head puzzled her and she stood there, lips slightly parted and index finger raised, the question dancing upon her tongue when Yuki chimed in.

"Good morning, Misaki! It's great you're joining us for your first day of class."

"Thank you, Yuki." She replied politely and felt eyes trained on her. She turned her head a bit and smiled at Zero. "Morning, Zero."

He grumbled a response and propped his head on his left palm, gazing towards the window. So much for a conversation with him but that didn't mean she was going to give up trying to talk to him.

"Misaki, this is my friend Sayori Wakaba. Yori, this is Misaki Himura." Yuki stated as she gestured back and forth between the females.

"Misaki, you just transferred here three days ago, correct?" Sayori asked as she eyed Misaki.

"Yes, my _family_ believed it would be a wonderful place for me to receive education." She replied and smiled before she noticed Yuki staring at her intently. "Is there something wrong, Yuki?"

"Wha—?! No no no!" She cried out and waved her hands dramatically. "I was just noticing how well the uniform suits you!"

"You think so? I'm not very fond of it."

The words left her lips as Misaki glanced down at her figure, taking note of her uniform for the third time this morning. She wore the standard Day Class uniform that consisted of a black jacket, white dress shirt, and red ribbon with pride. It was strange how her curves were hugged and unsettling how she felt as if the jacket caused her 36 B cup breasts to feel as if they looked like a D cup. The rest of the uniform caused Misaki to feel a great level of discomfort that she didn't know was possible. The black mini skirt threatened to flash her panties if she so much as did anything besides walk very slowly. In order to combat this problem that threatened her dignity, she replaced the black knee high socks for black pantyhose. She also swapped the standard pair of dark colored boots for her own dark colored knee high boots simply because she didn't like the other ones. She considered them minor but necessary changes and thus far no one had called her out on it.

"I do appreciate the detail of the customized rose insignia buttons and cuff links. It ties the whole thing together." Misaki commented as she inspected the cuff links on her right arm.

"Are you going to give anyone chocolates, Misaki?" Sayori asked as she noticed the way Misaki was meticulously fidgeting with a cuff link.

"Why would I do **that**?" She asked in bewilderment, which caused the other girls to exchange a look.

"Misaki, St. Xocolatl's Day is two days away. It's a holiday where people give chocolates to someone in order to express how they feel about them." Yuki explained.

"That sounds kind of stupid." Misaki bluntly stated, earning a snort from Zero, who was obviously pretending not to be listening in on their conversation. Sayori seemed to smile in appreciation that the new student shared an unspoken opinion with her. Yuki seemed to pale and Misaki was quick to catch it. "Are _you_ giving someone chocolates, Yuki?"

The brunette turned crimson and flailed her arms. "No no no! Nothing like that!"

"Then what's that?" Sayori asked as she pointed to the recipe on Yuki's desk.

Yuki hid it away and continued trying to frantically explain it was a possible gift for Kaname. She babbled about showing appreciation, unaware of the glare from Zero. Sayori felt the intense glare and pointed it out, earning a more than annoyed response from Zero. Yuki looked like she wanted to be swallowed up out of embarrassment. There was bickering over the Night Class receiving all the chocolate and Misaki could barely keep up with the chaos. She could've sworn someone mentioned how good looking Zero was. She eyed Zero as she overheard more positive comments about him but he shut them all up with a glare. The students scurried off, making a point to exclude Zero from anything. Misaki bounded up the final stairs and eased herself into the seat beside him. Yuki and Sayori were too engaged in their own conversation, speaking at a volume that would easily drown out the voices around them.

She wondered if Zero would up for them talking again. The two days of avoiding one another was eating away at Misaki and she wouldn't stand for it anymore. She immediately settled for breaking the ice between, something she feared was going to be her job whenever she wanted to talk to him.

"They're right, you know." Misaki stated softly and she felt the way Zero shifted in his seat to face her.

"What are you talking about, Misaki?" He grumbled but it wasn't because he wanted to know. It was more because he didn't know what she was talking about, which annoyed him greatly.

"You're _very_ good looking." She repeated and turned in her seat a little. She propped her elbows on the desk and leaned her chin on her hands. "You have an athletic build. Your hair is silky and it's like the moon herself blessed you with her hair. Not to mention those beautiful lavender eyes of yours that have every girl wondering if you'll ever look at them like she's the _most_ important person in your life."

His snow-white cheeks gained a faint color to them momentarily before he turned away from her a bit. "Shut up."

"It's true, Zero. I bet there's more than a handful of girls wishing you would so much as look at them with even a little bit of warmth." She used her thumb and forefinger to emphasize her words, putting her fingers right in front of his eyes as she spoke in a squeaky tone of voice. "Even a teenie tiny bit, like a tiny little smudge of _warmth_."

He reached out to grasp her wrist and move her hand away from his face. There was a response she was trying to elicit from him and he didn't want to give it to her. She was persistent, he gave her credit for that much. He recalled a time when they were kids briefly. Her words were almost the same but back then they were childlike. Even so, he'd always give her the same response because he'd figured out it was what she sought all along. This moment was no different from when they were kids. The only difference was that they were surrounded by people and if he wasn't quick or subtle enough, his action would be noticed. He took a second to notice that everyone was too engrossed in their conversations to pay them any mind. He had to act fast before Misaki became too persistent.

He turned his body toward her and slowly released her wrist. He boldly reached out with his right hand and grasped the long lock of onyx hair from her left side. He held it upon his hand and slowly glided his hand down, his fingers lightly brushing her cheek during the motion. He slowly allowed her lock of hair to slip from his palm and propped his head upon his left hand, his cheek pressed to his palm. His lavender eyes softened and his lips turned up in a small smile before he spoke to her.

"Like _that_, Misaki?" He asked softly and that smile seemed to strike needles into his childhood friend.

Her breath was caught in her throat the second he'd grasped her wrist. She'd expected him to be angry for annoying him. He'd shocked her by doing the gesture with her hair that he'd done a few times when they were kids. It always made her smile at him. This time it earned a different reaction. She felt like there were butterflies in her stomach. She'd never felt this before and she could've bet her life there were actual butterflies fluttering about in her organs. He then gave her the look she'd been teasing him about. Her heart stopped and when it resumed beating, it was practically racing. Her cheeks turned scarlet and she immediately threw her arms over her head, putting her head down on the desk and covering herself up with her limbs. Zero released a chuckle and she heard him shifting away from her.

She was never good at speaking when there was a crowd of people gathered, which meant she'd been horrible at introducing herself to the class. She'd babbled and dropped on to her chair, burying her face in her arms once again. The most anyone had understood was that her name was Misaki. She'd hidden that way for the duration of the day, even during lunch despite Yuki's attempts to persuade her otherwise or Zero's one attempt of sliding an apple wedge through her tightly knit arms. Zero had caused her to feel something she'd never felt before earlier and it still had her flustered. She'd never been with more than ten people in a room at any given point in her life. She'd never socialized within the association, sticking to speaking only when necessary or if someone asked her a question, therefore her social skills were nonexistent. It had been for this very reason she'd gone straight to the Headmaster's office after class. Several minutes of wandering around had been what Misaki needed beforeshe finally found the Headmaster's office. She knocked twice and received no answer.

"I'm coming in." She called out before allowing herself to enter the office, closing the door behind herself.

He slowly turned from the window and regarded her uninvited entrance. "I see you allowed yourself in."

"I _did_ knock before entering. I received no response and allowed myself in. The door was open after all." She replied as she took a seat in front of his desk.

"So I see." He stated and sat down in his chair, crossing his hands together and eyeing her from behind the gleam in his glasses. "Is there something you need?"

"It's about the letter that I was instructed to deliver to you. You changed the moment you read it and I want to know why."

His shoulders visibly tensed but he kept his voice calm as usual. "Why do you wish to know?"

She frowned a bit as she wondered how she could word it.

"I feel as if what I was told was nothing like what was on the letter. I feel as if I was lied to, though I wouldn't be surprised. The association hides lots of things." She stated and chewed her lower lip a bit. "I feel like that letter stated the true purpose of why they sent me here and it was something that distressed you. You're considering if keeping me here is something you want to allow or if you want to send me back to them."

A chuckle escaped his lips and he straightened up, leaning against the chair.

"They're right. You're quick to catch on despite pretending otherwise. They were right to feel threatened enough to seek ways of getting rid of you."

Those words should've cut right into her.

Those words should've thrown her into a fit of rage.

Those words should've made her realize she was a tool that had outlived her purpose.

Those words should've broken her.

"I know they're trying to get rid of me." She stated as she leaned back and crossed her legs, smoothing out her skirt.

"You know of their plans to get rid of you...?" Kaien asked incredulous.

"I picked up on it during my last missions before coming here. Every mission I'd been sent on was quite dangerous and should've never been given to someone as inexperienced as me." She tilted her head up a bit thoughtfully. "The final mission I was informed that it was to kill one vampire whose hideout was that location. I'd been lied to but I caught on. They meant to let me get killed by those vampires. _Seven_ vampires. Seven of _them_. All gathered in the same building. It was a setup. I, of course, eliminated them and returned. Then immediately after that I was sent here."

"I see... Misaki, what did they say you were to do here?"

"Pursue my education and take on requests when called." She replied and smiled a little. "And let me guess, the letter states a completely different thing?"

"It states that you are given free reign to execute any vampire on campus that you deem a threat to mankind but they are not responsible for you nor your actions. They also made it clear that you are no longer part of the association. You're on your _own_ but if you interfere with them, they **will** eliminate you; however, they make no promises that they won't simply _kill_ you out of the blue."

"Lovely!" She clapped her hands together before she rolled her eyes.

"Misaki, I will not allow you to do such a thing as be reckless or try and cause problems between my students. Zero and Yuki patrol the campus to ensure no accidents occur. The Day and Night Class are not to interact and the secret is guarded by them. They can handle themselves quite well; however, if the situation should arise..." He paused as he carefully contemplated his words. "I shall allow you to do what you've been trained to do but only under the condition that there is no way Yuki or Zero can handle themselves anymore."

"Basically if their lives are in peril." Misaki clarified and eyed her senior Hunter.

He nodded and Misaki stood up, smoothing out her skirt.

"Well then, thank you for informing me, Kaien-sama."

"Misaki..." He stated as he noticed she was ready to leave.

"Yes?" She asked as she paused beside the chair, looking back over her shoulder at him.

"I understand how difficult your life has been but you know that from this moment on, they've left you to fend for yourself."

"I know." She whispered and her fingers clutched the wood of the chair tightly.

"It's not too late for you to change sides, Misaki. You can see now that my dream for vampires and humans to coexist is a possibility. You no longer have to be who they forced you to be. You're your own person now, Misaki."

_Her own person_. She didn't know what that even meant anymore.

She'd been physically punished at the hands of older Hunters because she was the youngest by far. It was an experiment for many, trying to make a child into a ruthless killer like them. She'd been used as bait for vampires a few times. She'd been used as a live target practice, receiving a few stray bullets in her time. She'd been their punching bag more times than she could count. They had tried to toughen her up, or so they claimed, but she'd always felt it was nothing but pleasure for them. Their abuse had only forced her to accept and agree with them out of fear. Her body developed a high pain tolerance but it was her only benefit. She should've felt angry at remembering everything they had done to her but it was a waste of time. She had learned to survive and that alone was reason enough for her to remain calm and collected.

"Kaien-sama, I'll have you know that I was _never_ on their side. I was always on _my_ own side, on the side that _survives_. I've done things that I'm not proud of and I hate the life I had to live but I wouldn't take **any** of it back. Now that they've discarded me, I will simply take on the goal I used to have back when I was a child."

"What do you mean, Misaki?" Kaien asked puzzled as he watched her saunter towards the door.

She paused at the door and looked back over her shoulder.

"You said if yourself, Kaien-sama, it's **never** too late."

She smiled before she walked out of his office, closing the door behind herself and leaving the Legendary Vampire Hunter to ponder why Misaki seemed to be more dangerous than she let on and if the association was right to consider her a threat worth eliminating.

**Author's Note**

This chapter was inspired by Never Too Late by Three Days Grace. Hope you enjoyed!


	8. Chocolates

_"There's something growing inside of her _

_that threatens to break her hold on reality."_

"Making chocolates can't be that hard... right?"

Misaki asked herself aloud as she scrunched up her nose. She read over the sheet of paper for the tenth time before setting it back down on the counter. She exhaled a heavy sigh and leaned back against the counter. It had been foolish for her to even consider making them in the first place, let alone try to actually make them. She was actually scared to even try to make the chocolates. She'd set out the ingredients on the table, gotten her hands on a recipe and the necessary utensils but then simply stared at it all. She'd never learned to cook or bake, seeing as how in the association, all her meals were given to her at scheduled hours. She never had access to the kitchen or was even allowed in the dining room. She wasn't allowed to be in many places, the kitchen and dining room being number one on the no trespassing list. She glanced at the materials again and chewed on her lower lip nervously.

"Maybe I should at least give it a shot... I did go to the trouble of requesting kitchen access tonight..."

She inhaled a deep breath and fastened one of Kaien-sama's pink aprons around her figure. She rolled up her magenta sleeves and wiped her hands on her dark blue skinny jeans. She then focused on following the recipe's instructions to the letter. The mixing of ingredients was easy and it made her feel at peace, sort of like how she felt when she practiced her reloading speeds for her revolver. After she was done mixing it all together, she poured the liquid into the mold. She wiped the excess off the mold with a paper towel and placed it within the oven. She set the time then busied herself with dishes. It was strange to be washing dishes for the first time and she couldn't help but overuse the soap. She figured the more bubbles she made with the soap, the cleaner the dishes would be.

A faint '_ding_!' alerted her that the chocolates were ready. She put on oven mitts and slowly opened the oven. She pulled out the rack as far as it could go before picking up the mold. She carefully set it on a wooden cutting board upon the table then closed the oven. She turned it off and began to put away the dishes as she waited for the chocolates to cool. After she was done, she sat down on a bar stool, propping her chin on her hands. She lightly swayed her feet as her mind wandered.

Yesterday Zero had made her feel... _strange_. It was her first day of class and she'd teased him. He'd gone and done the one thing that always made her smile as a child but this time her response had been different. She wanted to expel her breakfast but at the same time she craved more of Zero's attention. She wanted to feel that same emotion again. It was utterly baffling for her. She'd been raised to kill vampires; however, everything that should be normal for a girl her age was completely new and baffling. There were many things she didn't understand, didn't know, didn't recognize, thus she was unable to feel normal. She wanted to be like her classmates, worry-free and focused on friendships. She wanted to be able to sit down and talk about liking a boy, worry about her appearance, worry about her grades and spend her time shopping. She'd never had any freedom nor was she allowed to be a child, let alone a teenager. This new life of hers was making her feel like she could simply lose her mind at any moment and that terrified her.

A sweet aroma interrupted the young Hunter's thoughts and she couldn't help but inhale it deeply and voice her thoughts.

"Mmm... that smells yummy~"

Misaki carefully picked one chocolate from the mold and slipped it into her mouth. The heat of it caught her off guard and she began to flail her arms wildly.

"**Mmmmph**!"

Her tongue was scalding but the chocolate was too good to spit out.

"**Gnnnnnnnuuuugh**!"

She then pounded her fists on the table to try and distract her scalding mouth, earning the attention of her guest.

"Huh? Oh! Misaki! What are you doing here?" Yuki asked while she stepped into the kitchen, eyeing the finished product while Misaki tried not to let a piece of chocolate end her life.

Several more seconds of agony ticked away but alas it was cool enough to chew and swallow. The taste was sweeter than the aroma let on and she felt as if her very soul was melting away with the aftertaste.

"Ah, you made chocolates for tomorrow." Yuki stated and smiled approvingly at Misaki.

"Well, you got the idea in my head after you mentioned it yesterday. I thought I'd give it a shot." She stated and smiled as she gestured to her chocolates. "Aside from burning my mouth for being impatient, they turned out pretty good."

"Maybe you can help me make mine?" Yuki asked hopefully as she held up her recipe.

Misaki slipped on the oven mitts again and placed her mold in the fridge after covering it with plastic wrap. "I would but I'm feeling a bit tired. Besides, if you make yours alone and pour your heart into it, I'm sure they'll be delicious." She stated and gave the brunette a small smile as she slid off the mitts. She discarded the apron on the bar stool she'd been sitting on and offered the brunette an encouraging smile.

"Thank you for the encouragement, Misaki." The brunette stammered and Misaki simply waved her words away.

"Don't thank me, Yuki, I was simply paraphrasing something my mom used to say." The words slipped her lips before she caught them. She noticed Yuki catch her final words and open her mouth to ask but she was cut off. "Good night, Yuki!" She shouted and darted out the kitchen.

Running away was the best way to evade unwanted questions and what's more, it's also the best way to avoid facing answers. 

* * *

><p>"There you go, Yuki." Misaki stated as she placed a small white box with a red ribbon tied around it on the brunette's desk.<p>

"Misaki, why are _you_ giving me chocolates—?" Yuki squeaked out as her cheeks gained some color. The brunette was mistaking Misaki's gesture as a romantic confession, something the Hunter quickly caught on and corrected.

"No, no, no, Yuki." She waved her hands around slowly while Sayori giggled at Yuki's reaction. "I'm not expressing my feelings for you or anything like that." She then pointed at the box and smiled. "Those are just my way of thanking you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even tried to make them."

"But you said it was a stupid..." Yuki stated as she gazed up at her.

"Yeah, the idea behind it is totally stupid." Misaki clarified then propped one hand on her hip. "But, come on, who doesn't love chocolate? I may be giving chocolate but there is no way I'm declaring feelings by doing this. That's just ridiculous." She finished while shaking her head.

Yuki curiously poked the box, afraid to ruin the ribbon on it but she wanted to taste the chocolates that had such a strong aroma. They were taunting her.

"By the way... weren't you going to give chocolates to someone?"

Yuki sheepishly rubbed her head as she explained that her chocolates had been pretty much executed. Sayori sighed softly but Yuki seemed happy to have been able to at least buy chocolates. Zero was none too pleased of Yuki wanting to give Kaname chocolates and Misaki sensed something unsettling. She noticed he didn't keep his facade when he mentioned Kaname and she couldn't help but wonder why. She had questions but Zero had already left. Yuki chased after him and Sayori had to explain that the two were off to their disciplinary committee duties. Misaki excused herself and ventured off as well.

* * *

><p>The shrills, shrieks, screeches, screams, squeals and other annoying noises escape the throats of several dozen teenage girls. Misaki felt as if her skull would shatter if she had to listen to this for much longer. The only reason she'd come here was because Zero was supposed to be here. She spotted him easily in the crowd of hormonal girls, keeping them at bay by barking commands or glaring at them. She gazed down at the black box in her hands, running her thumbs over the lilac ribbon as she kept in the shadows. She'd spent her time making chocolates for him last night but decided to give some to Yuki and keep some for herself. The remaining chocolates were in the box in her hands, all wrapped up and ready to be delivered to the one they were made for but she found herself hesitating.<p>

She saw a few girls try and give him chocolates and he shot them all down without hesitation. He rejected girls faster than she could fire a shot. She fidgeted with the box and wondered why the thought of him rejecting her chocolates made her stomach twist into a knot. She hadn't made these chocolates to express her feelings for him, feelings which she most _definitely_ did **not** have. She hadn't even been part of Zero's life for a week and there was no way she could have any feelings for him aside from friendship because feelings were... well, _feelings_. She couldn't make sense of what she felt because she didn't know what _it_ was. The chocolates were just her way of thanking him. Thanking him for... _getting her weapons back_! Yes, that was why she had made him chocolates and wanted to give them to him on the day that _just happened_ to be the day where someone gives someone else chocolates to _express their feelings for them_... It was **just** a coincidence.

A startled scream ripped through her thoughts and she found herself squeezing the little box to her chest. Her head rose up and she noticed Yuki on the floor with a few girls. She saw Zero bend down and pick up a green box. _Wasn't that the box Yuki had been meaning to give to Kaname?_ He eyed the box and she saw the way he looked at Yuki then the box before glancing at Kaname. A sick feeling tugged her organs into knots and she wanted to punch herself until it disappeared. She doubled over a bit, dropping the box to the ground as she wrapped her arms across her abdomen, squeezing them to herself. She'd seen something in the way Zero had looked at Yuki in that moment that had made her sick to her stomach. It took all her strength of will to not expel her meal and to collect herself.

She noticed Zero quickly leaving so she bent down to pick up her box and follow after him. She stayed far behind but not far enough that she couldn't see him. She stuck to hiding behind trees rather than bushes so as not to alert him of her presence. It took quite a bit of walking, something that had Misaki winded afterwards. She wasn't as athletic as she seemed so her walking and running were limited to small distances, otherwise she'd be out of breath and practically on the brink of exhaustion. It was one of her many flaws as a Hunter. She noticed what seemed to be stables and ducked behind a tree when she noticed a girl try to approach Zero. She was sent away immediately and she hurried off in tears, causing Misaki to shake her head at the sight. Zero really did reject girls faster than she could shoot and in a much more cruel fashion. She then practically skipped towards the entrance and stood there, summoning all the courage she had to bring herself to give him her chocolates.

"Zero, it's me." She called out and noticed movement to her left. She turned immediately and saw Zero laying in hay. "Zero!" She started to move towards him when a loud neigh startled her.

Misaki stumbled and fell down on her ass quite gracefully. A large white creature was not too far from her, furiously stomping its foot and glaring at her with beady black eyes. Misaki screeched and pointed in terror, babbling nonsense.

"Z-Zero! W-what is that **thing**?!" The _thing_ in question neighed and stomped its foot again, causing Misaki to shriek and beg for mercy.

"Misaki..." Zero breathed out softly as he clutched at his forehead, looking quite pale. "Calm down... Just a horse..."

Misaki's eyes were wide with fear and she looked ready to burst into tears. She'd never seen such a creature before in her life. "I don't even know what **that** is! How am I supposed to calm down?" She wailed as tears welled up in her eyes.

A smile found its way across his tortured expression and he straightened himself a bit, sitting up and gazing at his beloved horse. Misaki's reaction to seeing a horse for the first time was amusing. It had distracted him long enough to fight back the wretched _hunger_. He was slowly regaining control and he had Misaki's childish behavior to thank for that. He extended his hand up to pat White Lily, trying to soothe the temperamental beast.

"There, there, Lily. She's just a _friend_." Zero whispered, to which White Lily gave a snort and shake of her head. Zero's brows creased a bit and Misaki noticed a faint tinge of pink on his cheeks. "Don't give me that! She is!"

White Lily gave another shake of her head and Zero looked like he was trying to keep a child from spilling a secret he didn't want known. Misaki couldn't suppress the giggle that escaped her lips, causing Zero to immediately turn to her.

"What's so funny?" He demanded and White Lily turned away, pretending to give them privacy.

"It's just the chemistry between you two. I can tell she really seems to understand you." She stated as she fetched the box she'd dropped for the second time. She was sure the chocolates had lost any presentation they once had.

"Yeah..." He paused and noticed the way she held the black box. Her fingers twiddled with the lilac ribbon and he couldn't help but wonder what was in it. "What's with the box?"

"What? Oh, right." She mumbled and she extended her hands to him, meeting his confused gaze. "I made these for you."

He glanced at the box in her hands then at her but didn't move.

"You could at least reject them _after_ you've tried them." Misaki grumbled and her cheeks turned a faint pink.

He reached out to take the box from hers but she was holding on so tightly that he had to improvise. He placed his hands over hers, shocked at how cool hers were compared to the heat his emitted. Her fingers twitched beneath his as she felt what she could only describe as an electric current coursing through her body when his hands touched hers. He'd touched her hand before, back when they first realized they were seeing each other for the first time in years but she hadn't felt this back then. Her fingers slowly uncurled from the box and she pulled her hands away. He drew the box close and tugged on the ribbon, loosening it up immediately. He carefully removed the lid and blinked as he noticed heart shaped pieces of chocolate.

"Misaki—"

"Don't say it!" She shouted and then placed a hand over her mouth in embarrassment, averting his gaze. "I didn't notice that the mold had the heart shaped patterns until after they were done..." She mumbled from behind her hand, slowly lowering it and struggling to meet his gaze.

"You know that I'm not a fan of sweets." He began but stopped when he caught the menacing glare in her eyes. He popped a heart shaped chocolate into his mouth and nearly coughed it up.

The chocolate practically exploded flavor all over his palette. He hadn't expected such flavor from her chocolates. Yes, they smelled very fragrant but he'd expected something crude in taste and appearance. It melted in his mouth and he found himself savoring it. He didn't like sweets because he found that most made him feel like someone had punched his mouth with fistfuls of sugar. Misaki's chocolates were sweet but they had the right combination of ingredients that none overshadowed another. He cast a bewildered gaze at Misaki, who was currently playing with hay. _Had she really made the chocolates **just** for him?_ No, she'd given Yuki some as well. There was no way Misaki was trying to tell him something using the method she'd bluntly stated was stupid. She had merely presented him with chocolates with no hidden meaning. He noticed that she seemed absorbed in her thoughts but after a few more moments of staring at her in silence, she glanced up and met his gaze.

"Well... did you like it?" She asked hopefully. It was her first time making chocolates but she thought hers came out heavenly; however, Zero's opinion was the one that really mattered to her.

His lips formed a small smile and she felt as if her heart stopped when she heard his words. "I loved it. It's amazing, Misaki. You made these all by yourself?" He asked as he rattled the box for emphasis.

"I just followed the recipe..." She mumbled and looked down at her lap. She felt her cheeks burning and those butterflies were fluttering in her organs again. _Damn whatever cruel being stuffed them into her again!_

"I think I'll save these for later." He stated and placed the lid over the box again, tucking it in the inner pocket of his jacket. He then held his hand out for Misaki to take. "Come on, it's getting late. You need to get back to the dorm. I'll walk you there myself."

She was quite thankful for giving him the chocolates because she felt that they'd allowed her to be one step closer to her childhood goal.


	9. Secrets

_"She will discover the truth, even if it kills her."_

"Kaien-sama, may I ask you a question?" Misaki asked as she tapped her fingers on the glass of orange juice she was sipping.

"Of course, Misaki. What is your question?" He asked before he sipped his mug of cocoa.

"Well... I've been feeling things and... it's all so confusing. I've never felt these things. It's all new to me and it scares me." She whispered as she curled her fingers around the glass tightly.

Kaien gazed at Misaki, taking careful note of the young woman before him. He'd seen Misaki grow up. He'd met her when she was just an infant and had been a part of her life, a distant part of it but nonetheless he'd been in moments of her life. They'd never interacted alone but he'd been a witness to her progress. He'd seen the way the girl pushed herself, desperately wanting to become better and only stopping once she'd collapsed from exhaustion. The association kept her life quite sheltered because they'd seen her as a project of sorts. They wanted to see if a child could become a Vampire Hunter faster and become better than those her age if she was subjected to their training regiments and lifestyle. The association held guardianship over her and made a point to show how much control they had over her. They'd considered her a success but Kaien noticed that she had been forced to change. Her stay at Cross Academy was likely causing her to question her identity and these new experiences were obviously too much for her to handle. He stirred his cocoa around to dissolve a few cocoa lumps before he answered her.

"Misaki, I take it you're experiencing emotions that they didn't let you feel."

"It's not so much as they didn't let me feel them but they didn't _want_ me to." She inhaled a deep breath and slowly exhaled before she continued. "Anger was eagerly welcomed because they said it was what drove you to pull the trigger without hesitation. Fear was welcomed if you chose to fight instead of fleeing. Other than that... Well I'm not sure. Fear and anger are all I really had... If at one point I showed anything else, I'm sure they beat it out of me."

Her words were like daggers to his heart. He hadn't known she was subjected to physical punishment. He recalled a single time when he'd seen Misaki on the floor, her small fists clenched and body bruised. He'd been told she was _sparring_ but he rarely saw her make a move. He'd dismissed it as a spar but looking back now, he realized he'd seen one of her beatings. The thought of the cruelty they'd delivered upon her caused rage to bubble in the depths of his heart. He'd allowed one of his pupils to suffer right under his nose. He grasped the mug tightly to the point his knuckles were white and stood up, plastering the best cheerful smile he could manage.

"No need to worry about the past anymore, Misaki. It's all behind you. Now that you're a student here, you are under my _protection_, just like everyone else."

"I appreciate it, Kaien-sama." She tapped the glass a few times and she sighed softly before she met his gaze again. "I was wondering something..."

"Hm?" He blinked and sipped his cocoa.

"It's about... _Zero_."

* * *

><p>Misaki didn't understand why the Headmaster had immediately ended their conversation the moment she'd stated she wanted to know something about Zero. The morning had started off quite well though his invitation to join him for breakfast had caught her off guard. He explained he made the food for Zero and Yuki but they'd hardly made a dent in it before leaving. He insisted that she join him and she'd obliged for selfish reasons. The main reason was that she was going to receive a meal and that was always welcomed. They'd engaged in small talk while picking at the feast, keeping the topics centered around the academy. It was nice to converse with him and it brought a sense of peace.<p>

Yuki had come by her room after class and mentioned she had to search her room. Misaki had obliged and merely stood by her doorway, watching as Yuki searched every inch of her room. She informed her that certain things had to be confiscated but the answer was too vague for Misaki's liking. She peeked into the wheeled cart and noticed most of the contents were photos of the Night Class students. She frowned at the sight and waved at Yuki, while the brunette whined that Zero had wandered off again. Hearing that Yuki was spending time with Zero made her stomach fold in on itself. She gripped the edge of the doorframe tightly to the point her hand was an alarming white color. She slowly released her death grip on the doorframe and closed the door, leaning against it as she tried to settle the thoughts in her mind.

_Everyone was running around. People cursed audibly. Weapons were readied. There was an alarming sense of hostility within the headquarters. The chaos was spreading like wildfire and Misaki was struggling to not be trampled over. She froze under a desk as she overheard pieces of a conversation, pieces that were being shouted with fury from other Hunters._

_"The Kiryu are dead!"_

_"That wretched pureblood slaughtered them!"_

_"Even the children?!"_

_"Ichiru is missing."_

_"Zero is said to be severely wounded."_

_"Is anyone going after her?!"_

_"He went to investigate. He's on the scene."_

_Misaki was able to piece together as much as she could on her own since no one would tell her anything. A pureblood had attacked the Kiryu. Ichiru was missing but there was an alarming trail of blood that suggested his corpse had been dragged out. Zero was wounded and they didn't think he'd survive. Her mentors were dead. One of the Vampire Hunter families had been crushed. Two of the best were eliminated._

_The next day, nobody mentioned the events of the prior day. It was as if it never happened. Everything was swept under the rug and it became a taboo topic. The Kiryu Incident **never** occurred._

"Always hiding the _truth_. You've always been so good at that." Misaki stated bitterly under her breath and moved away from the door.

She walked up to window and gazed at sunset over the grand forest that surrounded the academy. She was bitter. No, it was more than that. She was finally allowing herself to feel everything the association hadn't allowed her to express. She hated them, there was no denying that. She hated how she had been a pawn to them. They'd tried to break her merely so the Hunters had something to do in their spare time. The physical abuse only ended when she proved she was valuable on the field. She hated how they ignored the Kiryu Incident and covered it all up. She hated them for beating her until she believed in their words. She hated them for making her love what they did for her. It was thanks to them she was able to survive. She had them to thank for the skills she'd learned and she hated them for it with every fiber in her being.

"All these secrets you made me keep..." She whispered as her palm pressed firmly against the glass.

She knew why he was thrown out of the association.

She knew why she had passed before her time.

She knew why they were eliminated.

She knew why he vanished.

She knew what he'd been forced to become.

She knew so much but she still wondered why she was alive. She knew the secrets of others but hardly knew a thing about herself. She was treading on a dangerous path but she had nothing to lose. She had uncovered too much during her studies in the association and that was what made them toss her aside. She had unearthed a deadly secret and keeping it quiet was tearing at her psyche. She wanted to reveal what she knew but that would mean she was asking for her execution. She gazed at her reflection while stars began to gleam across the night sky. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she came to a realization.

"These secrets might just be the death of me..."

* * *

><p>Misaki couldn't bear being alone with her thoughts anymore so she'd snuck out of her room. She moved hastily yet silently towards the Boys Wing of the Dormitory. She had to talk to Zero, even if he didn't say a word to her. His presence alone had always been enough to put her mind at ease when they were kids and she hoped that hadn't changed. After a few minutes of wandering around hallways, she came to the door she knew was Zero's. She was grateful Yuki had shown her how to reach Zero's room when she gave her a tour. Her fingers curled around the doorknob and she exhaled a deep breath the door opened. She immediately stepped in through the creak, squeezing into his room and closing the door silently behind her. She then turned the lock and exhaled a deep breath before relaxing.<p>

"What are you doing here?"

Misaki bit her lower lip to suppress a squeal after being startled. She then spun around and found herself trapped against the door by Zero. His arms were on either side of her head and he was leaning very close to her face. Her eyes wandered down slowly and she felt her cheeks burning as she caught sight of Zero's lean yet lightly toned upper torso. She thanked the divine forces for blessing her with such a sight without pitting her in an awkward situation... well, almost. There were droplets of water clinging to strands of his silky silver hair and gliding down his forehead. She exhaled a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding before she whispered.

"I have to talk to you."

"Misaki, you snuck into my room—"

She pressed her hand against his mouth and brought her forefinger to her lips, tapping them repeatedly.

"Shhh! Not so loud! Do you want people to find out I've snuck in here?! Headmaster would kill us!"

Zero frowned at her words and she slowly removed her hand.

"I'd _love_ to see that happen." He stated before he gave a snort at the thought of the Headmaster trying to kill them. Little did he know the man actually possesses such skill.

"Yeah, well, I'd like to live my whole life, thank you very much!" She quietly hissed before she cleared her throat. "Would you mind if we spoke in a less _intimate_ manner?" She asked before her cheeks flushed pink again when she noticed Zero had inclined his head forward more when she'd tried to silence him.

There was a faint tinge of pink on his cheeks before he pushed himself away from her. He grabbed the yellow towel from the towel rack on the wall and began to dry his hair. He walked slowly towards his bed and Misaki couldn't help but notice the faint muscles on his back. Zero was quite handsome in his uniform but seeing him half-dressed brought his level of attractiveness up to a whole new level. He paused by his bed and turned around, taking note that Misaki was still standing by the door.

"Misaki?"

"Right!" She practically shouted then quickly covered her mouth, remembering that they had to be quiet.

She stumbled to make her way towards him then felt as if she was going to explode, causing her to freeze. In her haste to come find him, she'd forgotten to change into something a little more decent. She hadn't realized until now that she was wearing black sleep shorts and a black and white with pink lace-trim cami. She was thankfully wearing a bra underneath the cami but she felt as if she was completely exposed. She should've been losing her mind over how indecent she looks while in the company of someone but instead she felt ... _different_. She took note of Zero, who was still busy towel drying his hair. The strange sensation was spreading and she couldn't quite explain it. It was something akin to anger but not quite. She knew it was because Zero wasn't bothered by her appearance at all but she wasn't sure _why_ she wanted a _reaction_ from him. What was it about her current appearance that she wanted Zero to notice? Why would she even want him to look at in her present state? Misaki felt utterly conflicted with herself so she simply sat down beside him on the bed, clasping her hands on her lap.

"So?" He asked as he finally set the towel down.

"What?" She turned to stare at him in bewilderment.

He frowned before his right eye gave a visible twitch. "You said you came here to _talk_..."

"Oh! Right! That!" She inhaled a deep breath and gripped her knees with her hands. "You see... I've... I've been thinking a lot of my time back at the association..."

He snapped his attention to her completely, ceasing his distraction with the towel. He gazed at her as he waited for her to continue. When she showed no initiative to continue, he lightly nudged her side, earning a scowl from her.

"Okay, I get it. I was just seeing if you were paying attention." She grumbled and inhaled a deep breath before she squeezed her knees. "I came across a _file_ not that long ago... It was labeled as the _Kiryu Incident_."

He tensed and turned away from her.

"In it were details of what had happened... The full uncensored version..."

He didn't want to hear it.

"It was something taboo in the association and any records of that were practically nonexistent but I found them... I read what was in them..."

He didn't want to know what she knew.

"I couldn't believe what I was reading."

He didn't want to hear her say those words.

"... The thing I refused to believe was that it said you were a..."

He didn't want to admit to her what he was.

"... _Vampire_."

As if on cue, Zero reached out and grasped her wrists, tugging her up and over. Before she could process what had happened, Zero was on top of her, pinning her wrists above her head and glaring down at her with scarlet eyes. It took her a few seconds to realize he'd pinned her between his bed and his body. She was trapped beneath him and her heart skipped a beat as she began to register the situation. Those scarlet eyes could only mean the thirst for blood was calling to him. His lips parted and she noticed the fangs starting to protrude. She should've been scared. She should've been hating him and seeking to destroy him but she was perfectly calm underneath him. His eyes bore into hers as he listened to her rhythmic heartbeat.

"This is what I am, Misaki. I'm the very _thing_ you and I trained to kill. I'm a _vampire_. I'm the **monster.**"

"You're not a _monster_, Zero." She whispered while she felt his grip tighten on her wrists.

"Yes, I am." He hissed and fought against the desire to sink his fangs into her. "I can feel your heartbeat... It's not racing... Aren't you scared, Misaki? I could _kill_ you right now."

She smiled up at him before she answered. "I'm not afraid of you, Zero. I trust you. You would **never** hurt me."

A look of guilt flashed over his scarlet eyes and he leaned back a little, softening his grip on her wrists. "I've already hurt someone I care about... What's to say I won't do it _again_?"

"You're not a monster, Zero. Monsters harbor no feelings. They destroy everything in their path without hesitation or remorse." She shifted a little beneath him but froze as she realized one of his knees was between her legs. "You're not a vampire either, Zero."

His scarlet eyes showed bewilderment as he gazed down at her.

"If you were truly a vampire, you'd have drank me dry by now."

"Misaki..."

He began to fight back against the thirst and his scarlet eyes slowly receded back to lavender. He gazed down at her with nothing but shame and regret reflecting in his eyes. He released her wrists and she threw her arms up, embracing him tightly. She held his head to her chest, letting him hear her heartbeat as her left hand ran through his hair, trying to soothe him. She'd known all along that Zero was a vampire. She'd known but refused to accept it. Now that he'd not only shown her but admitted it, her heart was finally at ease. There were no doubts now that he was what she'd been raised to kill but there was no way she'd ever harm Zero. She was determined now more than ever to show why she became so talented. She embraced Zero tighter to her chest as she felt him relaxing against her, letting a sense of calm wash over him.

"Don't worry, Zero, I'll protect your secret and I'll stand by your side no matter what happens. I promise."

One secret had been exposed but the others were still guarded in the depths of Misaki's mind until it was time for those to unravel.


	10. Predator

"_The words she says try to hide the enemy she carries inside."_

Misaki curled up under the blanket, faintly grumbling about being cold. Her head barely peeked out from under the blanket and she was but a small lump in the center of the bed. She could faintly hear a commotion but she didn't quite realize what it was until she rolled over again. She slowly opened one eye and was about to close it when she realized something... _unsettling_. Her eyes shot open and she sat up in bed, her heart racing wildly in her chest. _Where the hell was she?!_ The bed was smaller than her own. There was no bathroom, only a sink and mirror by the heater not far from the door. There wasn't much else to look at given how small the room was. She began to panic, her hands slipping up to grasp the strands of hair that always hung over her shoulders. _Whose room was she in?!_ She tried to get out of bed in a hurry but her left foot ended up caught in the blanket, causing her to hit the floor face first. She groaned and kicked her legs about wildly but paused when she noticed a small slip of paper gliding down. It landed within arms' reach so she reached out to grab it, eagerly looking at it but struggling to let the words sink in.

_Misaki_

_I figured by now you should be awake and probably wondering where you are. You're in my room, idiot. I left a little earlier than usual. Didn't bother to wake you after you slapped me in your sleep when I tried to wake you the second time. Didn't bother setting an alarm. I don't have a clock. Careful sneaking back to your room. If you're caught, I'll pretend I have no idea why you were in my room._

_Just so you won't say that I'm ungrateful, thank you for last night._

_Zero_

She crumbled the letter then proceeded to slap her forehead five times while shouting curses in her head. How could she forget that she'd snuck into his room last night? She must've fallen asleep while trying to comfort him. She then began to panic as she remembered he didn't have a clock in his room. _Only an idiot wouldn't have one!_ She stood up and rushed to the door, pressing her ear against it to listen to for voices. When she was convinced there was no one close by, she creaked the door open, peeking outside through the crack. She then swung it open and paused, looking out for any boys wandering around. After a few seconds of being on lookout, she stepped out and closed the door quietly before making a mad dash for the girls' wing.

"Fuck fuck fuck!"

She panted between breaths as she ran as fast as she could, cursing her terrible physical capabilities. She managed to make it to her dorm without being caught, well without almost being caught. A few girls noticed her mad dash and raised eyebrows and mutterings that sounded like they believed she was exercising before class. _Pffft, if only,_ Misaki thought. She swung her door open and stepped inside, slamming it behind herself. She doubled over, coughing and panting for breath before she eyed the clock. Twenty minutes until class started. It normally took her the full twenty minutes to get to class and she had to get ready...

"Oh fuck me!" She cried out and dragged her left hand down her face as she exhaled a deep breath. "Zero, I am going to smack the vampire out of you if I'm late!" She exasperatedly cried out under her breath before dashing to the closet to get ready.

Fifteen minutes later, Misaki was running down the dorms again, knowing she had five minutes to make it to class. She pumped her arms at her sides with as much force as she could muster, pushing her way through people, jumping over obstacles, dashing through forestry and the like. She didn't know how she'd done it but she managed to run into the classroom just as the bell rang. She punched the air weakly before she practically dragged herself to her desk, plopping down upon it and covering her face with her arms like usual. In her haste to relax, she hadn't noticed the empty seat beside her until she heard Yuki's voice.

She slowly poked her head up like a gopher and curiously looked to her left, blinking as she noticed the absence of her precious companion. Zero was missing but if she knew him at all, she knew that Zero wasn't the type to up and out of the blue miss class. _Tardiness_ was a different story. She started to drum her fingers on her desk methodically as she frowned. He'd said he was leaving to class earlier the usual, maybe so they didn't have to go through the awkwardness of discussing the events of the previous night... She shook her head rapidly and reminded herself that it wasn't _that_ kind of night. She sort of overheard Sayori mention Zero's absence and she couldn't help but feel concerned. Something wasn't quite _right_...

"Oh? This? It's nothing. I just got scratched on a tree branch while on patrol last night."

Cherry blossom colored eyes immediately narrowed at Yuki Cross as she heard those words. She noticed the large bandage on her neck and that sickening feeling of her organs knotting themselves up returned but it was accompanied by a bubbling fury. The pieces began to fall together easily and Misaki couldn't stop her fists from clenching. Zero had mentioned last night he'd hurt someone he cared about. He'd looked so guilty the entire time but more so when she told him she trusted him not to harm her. The way he'd eyed her neck was as if he was reliving a horrific memory. Yuki just "_happened_" to scratch her neck on a tree branch last night. Zero just "_happened_" to not show up today. It was all so obvious: _Zero had **bitten** Yuki_.

Misaki wanted to stand up from her desk and use the skills she'd been taught on how to kill vampires to torture Yuki Cross. It was all her fault that Zero was suffering. She even had the nerve to wear that stupid bandage there. _What the hell was she thinking?!_ She might as well be shouting to everyone that a vampire drank her blood! Misaki gritted her teeth and struggled to control herself. She put her head back down and remained that way until Yuki apparently bolted out of class. It took all her strength of will not to chase after her. She knew that if she did, she'd probably murder the brunette. She simply did her best to half listen to the lecture but she found it hard when all she could see was red.

_Red was anger._

_Red was blood._

_Red was the color of their eyes._

At the sound of the final bell, Misaki was the first to bolt out the door, no longer able to keep herself calm. Her temper was on the verge of exploding. It wouldn't be long before she lost control and she didn't want to be around anyone when it happened. 

* * *

><p><em>'BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!'<em>

_'clink, clink, clink, clink'_

_'BANG! BANG! BANG!'_

_'clink, clink, clink'_

Misaki emptied the shells from the chambers then swiftly reloaded them, clasping the cylinder shut and taking aim again. She kept her aim solely focused on achieving headshots. She'd always hated shooting the heart because she believed that by destroying someone's heart, she was destroying their very essence. It was a burden to have on her conscience so she always aimed for destroying the brain instead. No thoughts or memory meant no pain. It was _merciful_. After an hour of shooting, she finally set _Orpheus_ down hesitantly. Her fingers glided over the barrel as she couldn't help but be impressed at the fact her revolver looked as polished as the day she'd received it from her very first master.

"Finished already?" He called out softly.

She slowly turned her head and glanced over her shoulder. "Hello, Kaien-sama."

"Did you grow bored?" He inquired as he eyed the bullet casings littering the far wall behind the targets.

"No." She picked up _Orpheus_, holstering it in the back of her skirt, fixing her uniform so the revolver didn't peek out. "I just don't see any need to fire anymore bullets."

"You don't need the practice anymore. They say you're the luckiest shot ever." He stated and offered a cheerful smile.

"They started to call me _Lady Luck_ even though I'm not a lady."

"Well, I could've sworn you're not a _man_." He replied and looked her up and down comically.

"Kaien-sama..." She began and crossed her arms over her chest, giving him an annoyed look. "You know that's **not** what I meant. I'm not the least bit lady like."

"Why do you say that, Misaki?" He asked as he tilted his head a bit to the side.

"Well... I'm still confused about the emotions. Don't know a damn thing." She grumbled and leaned against the wall, eyeing the many targets she'd torn up.

"There's a library. There's lots of books. Maybe one can help you find information about the things that happen when a young girl starts to become a woman—" He instinctively reached up to cover his head after receiving a punch to it. "**YEEEEEEEOOOOOWOWOWOWOW!**"

She could feel her eyebrow twitching and her fist ached but it was necessary. "I don't need to know _that_ when I already know about it! What I'm feeling isn't related to _that_! Pervert!"

Misaki stormed off, leaving her idol weeping dramatically on the floor about failing as a parent figure and being subjected to tough love. 

* * *

><p>"Hmmm..."<p>

Misaki turned the page of the book slowly as she continued reading. She was trying to educate herself on emotions though most consisted of definitions and vague explanations or examples at best. She learned a lot of emotions but she wasn't sure if she'd know to identify when she felt them. This had been a complete waste of her time. She closed the book and sighed as she stood up, collecting the books in her arms and going out of her way to replace them from where she'd taken them. After she accomplished that, she ventured out of the library and down the hallway though it didn't take long for her to get lost. She frowned and doubled back and forth a few times, eventually deciding to follow her gut. It took her almost an hour to walk out of the building before she realized there was another issue: _getting back to the dorms at **night**_.

"Oh fuck... Not _again_..."

She hung her head down low and sighed heavily before she decided to just wander about until she made her way back. If only the forest didn't look exactly the same in any direction she looked, she could make it somewhere. She mentally kicked herself for not sticking close to the building and just following it around to the back. She heard running steps and the rustling of forestry so she made her way in that direction. She froze in her steps when she saw Zero in the distance. He seemed to be leaving. Yuki was running behind him and she saw the way she threw herself at him, causing Misaki to dig her nails into the bark of the tree she stood under. That twisted feeling was back for the second time today. She was too far away to listen to their conversation but she knew it was them. She dragged her nails down the bark in her haste to leave, cutting her fingers with the wood.

She walked away quickly before she started to jog back the way she thought she came in. She felt presences dashing towards her so she came to an abrupt stop in a clearing, placing a hand on her hip and letting the other hang loose at her side. She could feel those venomous scarlet eyes boring into her very soul from the distance. She could almost feel their fangs piercing her skin. She resisted the urge to shudder because she wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing her distressed. Her blood was calling out to them as if she was a lighthouse and they were ships stuck at sea. She tapped her foot impatiently and shifted her weight to her other hip, deciding she had to take the aggressive initiative.

"You know, for predators, you aren't that bright." She taunted and her lips turned up in a small smile as one finally stepped forward.

"For prey, you sure seem calm." A male with golden-blonde hair and electric blue eyes stepped forth, slowly licking his fangs to make his point. "And pretty stupid to mock us."

"Of course I'm calm. I don't see a reason to fear vampires." She stated bluntly and noticed the look that crossed his face. "I'm also rather bright but thanks for that pathetic attempt to try and insult me, leech."

"Oh... so you know about us? Then we shouldn't hold back, should we?"

The other vampires slowly emerged and circled around her but she noticed that a pair hung back a bit. It was a girl with light orange hair and cerulean eyes and a boy with mahogany hair and lightly-tinted blue eyes. They stood close and seemed to look around everywhere but at her. Misaki noticed that she was in the company of five vampires though only two seemed to want to devour her. The only female aside from the one who stood by her companion only seemed to be there to be a spectator. The only one who had spoken to her so far stepped forth with incredible speed and grasped her wrist, pulling her hand to his lips, obviously intending to lap the blood from under her fingers. She allowed her hand to be dangerously close to his lips, on the brink of being tasted, before she thrust her other palm up and against his chin. The force caused his jaw to snap shut and he hissed before he threw her away from him. Her back hit a tree bark and she struggled to try and remain standing.

"You bitch! How _dare_ you harm my beautiful face?!" He demanded and glared at her while the other blonde male chuckled slightly.

"Seems like she planned to do that all along." The other male mused.

"You're giving her too much credit." The female piped up and tossed her long hair over her shoulder.

"Now, if you vampires are going to call me names, at least call me by the one your people know me by right now..." Misaki stated calmly as she withdrew _Orpheus_ from behind her back, taking aim at the one who tried to drink her blood. "If you don't, I'll have to remind you vampires who I am with the help of _Orpheus_."

"_Orpheus_?" The mahogany haired vampire asked softly as he rested his head on his companion's shoulder.

"That's the name of the gun of the association's tenth best Hunter. They've started calling her _Lady Luck_." The female stated softly before the other female chimed in.

"They say she's _never_ missed a damn shot and her record on the field is absolutely perfect." She hissed and glared more intently.

"Awwww... So you _have_ heard of me~" Misaki mused and smiled brightly as she ensured they heard the bullet being prepped for firing. "If you want my blood, you'll have to be _lucky_ enough that I don't miss."

"That's enough of this."

A male's voice interjected and all the vampires tensed and snapped to attention. It was the voice of someone who could command an entire army. Misaki slowly turned and noticed a tall male with brown hair and red-brown eyes was standing not too far from them. At his side was a male with blonde hair and emerald eyes. She focused on the vampire she knew had called the others to attention. The unsettling way his aura flickered made her know he was a Pureblood. He was one of the most powerful vampires who made everyone else look like a cheap knockoff. She found herself unable to move as his gaze locked on hers and she knew in that instance she'd become... _his **prey**_. 

* * *

><p><span><strong>Author's Note<strong>

This chapter was inspired by: Fight Inside by Red

This song really captures what I envision Misaki's anger and jealousy to be like, though more than anything her jealousy. As you may already notice, she's quite jealous of Yuki but she doesn't quite understand it or know what it is yet. She's never felt such an emotion before so she's struggling with herself, that's why I don't mention outright that she's jealous though I am hoping I am painting the picture here. We will be seeing more of Misaki's jealousy so I hope you're enjoying seeing her expressing more emotions, slowly but steadily.

**NOTICE:** Updates may no longer be coming in daily for this story but I will try to at least update twice a week. I'll be setting up an update schedule on my profile for my stories so you know when to expect an update.

Thank you for reading and please leave a review if you are liking this so far. I haven't received any feedback so I'm thinking that I may just discontinue this. I'll give it another week or two.


	11. Boundaries

_"Every wall within her heart is not without reason."_

"Everyone, please head to class immediately. Takuma, please ensure they attend. I will be there shortly."

He spoke his words so softly and Misaki could've sworn she saw his lips curl into a frightening smile for a spilt second. Her gaze shifted slightly to see the blonde who had been by his side usher the other vampires back to class. They reluctantly obeyed and she couldn't help but wonder if he was using his Pureblood abilities to make them comply. Her gaze met the reddish brown orbs of the vampire once again and she wanted nothing to escape his line of sight. The longer he stared at her, the more trapped she felt. No more than a minute later, they were completely alone and Misaki found herself thinking back to the little ring she'd been given when she was a child. This man's eyes were like that garnet stone on her ring. They were beautiful and mesmerizing... _No! No, they were not_! Her free hand clenched into a fist and she threw her other arm to her side, fingers tightening around _Orpheus_.

"Don't do that. Don't you **dare** try to play your twisted game with me."

A small smile graced his lips and he curiously tilted his head a bit to the right, giving her his best inquisitive look. "Don't do what, Himura-san?"

Her eyes narrowed and she pointed her revolver right at his forehead. "You know **exactly** what you tried to do. It won't work and I find it very disrespectful for you to even try that on me."

"My apologies, Himura-san. It wasn't my intention to offend a lovely lady such as yourself." He tried as he lightly bowed his head and straightened up, keeping one hand over his heart. "If you please, I'd like to converse with you but would it be troublesome to ask that you holster your weapon? I mean you no harm."

Only an idiotic Vampire Hunter would lower their weapon in the presence of a vampire, no matter the situation.

Misaki was no longer a Vampire Hunter, the association had made it clear she wasn't part of them anymore therefore such an unspoken rule held virtually no meaning anymore even though it should, for her sake.

A small sigh escaped her lips as she slowly lowered _Orpheus_ and holstered it. She'd obviously chosen to disregard such an unspoken rule and left herself virtually defenseless. "Now, did you apologize for what you tried to do or for your little peons?"

"I apologized for my own actions though now that you mention it..." He bowed his head once more and flashed a small smile again. "I do apologize for any trouble they may have caused you. I assure you that Hanabusa will be severely punished for his attempt at... _tasting_ you."

"I'd be more convinced if he were the one to apologize." She retorted but she had a feeling such a thing would never happen.

"I shall inform him that he is to apologize to you, Himura-san."

"Don't call me that." She snapped then frowned a bit. "Why are you mentioning my name as if we know each other?"

"_Lady Luck_, is it? I took it upon myself to investigate your identity in order to assess the threat you could pose to my classmates and I."

Cherry blossom colored eyes narrowed at the garnet ones in a flash before she straightened up while her fists clenched tightly at her sides.

"**How dare you**?!"

He blinked and flashed an apologetic look but it was so insincere that it was revolting. "I didn't mean to offend. It was curiosity."

"You looked me up! You know a lot about me for sure and I don't even know your name!" She snapped and her fists trembled at her sides.

The Pureblood had treaded on forbidden territory and her senses were on high alert now. She was almost feral in her behavior and appearance now. Her lips were curled back a bit and her canines seemed to flash through. Her eyes were narrowed and almost catlike in appearance at first glance. Her unusual hair seemed unkempt and almost standing on edge. She was poised as if she was going to lunge upon him and tear him limb from limb with her bare hands. He'd never seen a human this fiery before, excluding Zero Kiryu. This young girl before him seemed ready to become an army of vampire hunters through sheer force of will and he couldn't help but feel a little impressed and slightly amused. Normally, he'd show indifference but perhaps this girl could be of use to him. She could become one of his pawns if he threaded carefully. He extended his hand slowly and did his best to convey honest intentions in hopes she'd take the bait.

"My apologies. I haven't introduced myself to you, Himura-san. My name is Kaname Kuran. It is a pleasure to meet a woman of your skill." He flashed a sympathetic smile as he hoped compliments would win her over.

There was hesitation in her eyes followed by uncertainty before the feral behavior slowly diminished.

She carefully extended her left hand to shake his, being mindful that the fingers on her right hand were still bleeding. "Misaki Himura. No honorifics. It's simply Misaki. Don't expect me to regard you with any respect because I treat everyone the same." She stated and her eyes flashed to meet his.

He couldn't help but be amused at his human girl who showed no fear nor anger towards him, despite their kind being enemies. She was very… _peculiar._

This pureblood had Misaki on her toes per say. She didn't know what to expect from him and she couldn't figure out his intentions. He was dancing all over the conversation and she found herself getting easily lost but that didn't keep her from responding. This was like a game of chess now and she'd be damned if she allowed him to checkmate.

"I'll keep that in mind though I must wonder... Do your fingers not ache?" He asked softly as his gaze focused on the blood slowly dripping from the scratches and scrapes.

She gazed at her bleeding fingers and weakly wiggled them. "The pain has numbed my fingers but beneath that there is a stinging sensation. I'm pretty sure I have plenty of splinters there."

"Allow me to be of assistance." He whispered as he grasped her wrist and began to bring her fingers to his lips.

"What are you...?" Misaki trailed off as she saw his lips part, fangs protruding slowly.

It was obvious he intended to lap her blood and perhaps even sink his fangs into her for more but she couldn't bring herself to stop him. She couldn't explain it but her body didn't feel like her own. She found herself thinking of how her scent had been described throughout her life. Her mother had always told her that she smelled like cherry blossoms in winter but she'd never understood what that meant. Her father had always insisted she never smelled enough like blood. Her master had told her she smelled too good for the leeches to stay away. The most common thing she'd heard was that her blood was absolutely alluring, at leas that's what vampires always told her. She would've never believed such a thing but she'd been used as bait enough times to know her blood truly elicited very strange behaviors from vampires. They never sought to finish her off, they always sought to savor her every drop.

The glint of metal brought Misaki back to reality and she blinked, unable to find the words to speak her mind.

"**Get the hell away from her, Kaname**." Zero growled as he kept Bloody Rose a few centimeters from Kaname's forehead.

Kaname merely glanced at Zero as if he were expecting him. Misaki's fingers were practically in his mouth already and he could almost taste her blood. Misaki was trying to wrap her mind around how she'd allowed him to come so close to tasting her but her mind was a blank. Zero's jaw and shoulders were tense but his lavender eyes were burning with fury. He'd come just in the nick of time to save Misaki from being Kaname's appetizer. He wrapped an arm around his childhood friend and easily whisked her close, her body stumbling into his as his grip tightened. Misaki couldn't make a sound or even move, standing there dumbfounded and pressed against Zero.

"My apologies, Misaki, I seem to have taken my joke too far. I shall be on my way now. Good night and sweet dreams, _Lady Luck_." He whispered with a smile before he walked away, pausing a few feet from them and glancing over his shoulder. "Zero." He stated flatly and then resumed his path.

Zero didn't lower his weapon for three full minutes, making sure no other vampires were nearby before holstering his gun. He then placed his arms on Misaki's shoulders and held her at arm's length, looking her up and down with concern. "Misaki, are you alright? Did that bastard hurt you?"

"I..." Misaki's brows furrowed and she began shaking her head furiously.

"Misaki? What's wrong?" Zero pressed as his grip tightened on her shoulders.

The realization of the position she'd be in was beginning to rapidly sink in, causing her to panic.

"No! No! No!" Misaki began to thrash around violently and Zero struggled to hold her in place.

"Misaki! Talk to me! What's wrong?!"

If it weren't for Zero coming to her rescue, she would've let Kaname drink her fill of her. He wouldn't have simply tasted her bloody fingers. Chances are he would've indulged in her blood like many vampires had wanted to do. Zero pulled Misaki close despite her thrashing around and simply squeezed her tight. He slid one of his hands up her back and began to run it through her hair in an attempt to soother her. She began to slump against him and he found himself struggling to hold them both up. They ended up slumped against a tree trunk, Zero's back pressed to the bark and he held Misaki tightly against him. She was trembling now but no longer thrashing around. Her eyes were wide but there was no fear in them. There was an overpowering sense of shock that had her paralyzed. She couldn't understand what had happened with Kaname. It was as if she'd forgotten of his presence completely. She'd never willingly allowed any vampires near her before, especially not to this level of proximity. She'd always been mindful of her boundaries and the responses that trespassing these elicited. She struggled to tilt her head up, desperately seeking answers in his lavender eyes.

"Why, Zero...? Why... Why didn't I stop him...? Why did I let him get so close...? Why...?"

The questions left her lips because she couldn't bear to hold them in.

"Misaki, it's alright, I'm right here. He's gone." Zero whispered as he kept running one hand through her hair.

"I... Zero... What's happening to me...? Why am I being so reckless…?" She whispered and brought her curled fingers up to her face, hiding her quivering lips behind them. "I… I don't know… One second I saw him leaning close and I wanted to stop him but then… I don't know what happened… Then you were there… I.."

"Hey, Misaki, stop. It's over. I'm here. You're _safe_." He squeezed her closer to him, resting his chin on her head while she weakly grasped at his jacket.

"What's happening to me...?" She kept whispering under her breath.

There was something changing in Misaki's shelled heart and she found herself unable to find comfort even in the embrace of the only one in the world who could provide her with what she needed. 

* * *

><p>Zero had to carry Misaki to the Headmaster's in order to treat her scratches and scrapes. She'd been like a little doll after she'd calmed down, allowing him to hold her close but she showed no emotion. She'd been lighter than he thought she'd be, which made him wonder about her health. He'd carried her in his arms but she hadn't wrapped her arms around his neck like he thought she would. She simply remained in his arms, head tilted forward and eyes focused on her lap. Cherry blossom eyes were not reflecting anything and it was unsettling for Zero. He'd never seen Misaki seem this lifeless before and he wasn't sure how to handle her.<p>

He placed her in the Headmaster's guest bedroom, laying her on the bed and went to find the first aid kit. He came back shortly with the kit and sat down on the bed as well. He grasped her wrist and glanced at her but she simply stared blankly at the canopy of the bed. He began to wipe away her blood with disinfecting cloths and watched for a reaction. They didn't sting her and if they did, she didn't show it. He inhaled deep breaths and held them as he struggled to not allow the aroma to make him lose his composure. The aroma was indeed enticing but his concern for her well being was easily overpowering any desires he had of relishing in her blood. He then began to wipe alcohol on her fingers and noticed the visible twitches of pain but she didn't cry out or show it in any other way. He waited for the alcohol to dry as he studied her face. She seemed as if he wasn't gentle enough with her, she'd fall apart completely. He then began to carefully pluck splinters from the wounds, a tedious task that lasted for thirty minutes for a few reasons, though the main one was because he wanted to make sure he minimized any pain he may have caused her.

"Misaki... I'm going to apply alcohol again, alright?" Zero whispered and looked to her face for a response but he received none.

He exhaled a deep sigh and dabbed at her wounds with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol. Her fingers gave visible twitches and she released a very faint whimper. He heard it and paused, eyeing her with concern and this time she met his gaze. He didn't want to continue because he knew he was hurting her. She gave a faint smile and whispered softly, her voice sounding very foreign to him. If he wasn't seeing her, he would've never believed it was her voice.

"It's okay, Zero, I'll be fine. Keep going."

"If it hurts too much... Tell me and I'll stop." He whispered and rubbed her knuckles softly while focusing his gaze on hers, letting her know he was being considerate of how she felt.

A small nod was the only response she gave and it was enough to prompt him to keep going.

He carefully wrapped all her fingers in bandages and carefully toyed with each finger to see how well she'd be able to move them. She watched the way he held her hand, so gentle as if she would shatter. When he was done bandaging her fingers and making sure she'd truly be okay, he grasped her bandaged fingers in his hands and gave a small squeeze. He focused his gaze on her and made sure she held it as well before he spoke up again.

"Misaki... What happened? How did you hurt yourself?"

There was a flash of guilt over her eyes before she turned her head away.

"I tried to mark a tree with my nails. The wood gave in but well... You see how it turned out for me."

He knew she was lying but she didn't seem to want him to press for more. There was something troubling Misaki and he could tell she wasn't ready to talk about it. He ran his thumb over her knuckles again as he considered what to do next. He decided after several long moments of silence between them that it would be best if he left. He released her hand and made a move to get out of the bed but Misaki grasped his hand firmly despite her wounds. He paused and looked down at her, shocked to see the pleading look in her eyes. Her hand began to tremble as it held his and he could see the tears beginning to well in her eyes.

"Zero... Please... Don't leave me... Don't leave me all alone..."

He slowly sat back down and reached out with his free hand to push her bangs out of her face a bit. "You're not alone, Misaki. Don't **ever** think that you are."

Her hand trembled more as she spoke in a choked tone of voice. "Zero... Please... I'm scared... I'm scared to be alone..."

Tears began to spill down her cheeks and he felt a pang of sorrow hit his chest at the sight. He realized that in this moment, she was voicing emotions she'd felt in her past. He may have not been present in her past as much as he would've liked to have been but he was here now and he was going to show it. "Misaki, I'm right here. Right at your side. You don't have to be scared anymore."

"Zero... Will you stay by my side tonight...? I don't want to sleep alone." She pleaded as he gently wiped her tears away with the back of his fingers.

"Don't worry, Misaki. I'll stay by your side tonight and any other night you need me."

He leaned down to place a gentle kiss to her forehead before he laid in bed beside her, squeezing her hand for reassurance. She slowly curled up against him, resting her head on his chest and wrapping an arm around his upper torso. He wrapped an arm around her to hold her close. It was like they were kids sharing the bed again. The only one missing was: _Ichiru_. Misaki drifted to sleep not long after but Zero remained awake. He couldn't help but wonder about her sense of boundaries. _When had personal space become forgotten ideals? Especially surrounding vampires?_ If lowering her guard meant that she'd no longer have all these boundaries surrounding her, boundaries that prevented many from getting too close to her or knowing too much about her, then Zero wouldn't mind protecting her. He'd do almost anything to help restore Misaki to her former self. He was seeing now just how different she was from the little girl he'd met all those years ago but she'd made it clear that she hadn't changed of her own free will. He could see now how much Misaki was struggling to find her sense of self. If she was on a path of self discovery, he'd sure as hell be at her side no matter how many times she needed him. He was determined to show Misaki that she didn't have to be afraid of her emotions because he'd be there for her. He'd always be there for her. 

* * *

><p><span><strong>Author's Note<strong>

This chapter was inspired by:

White Rabbit by Egypt Central

It's a really good song so you should totally check it out! ^_^

I hope Kaname and Zero didn't seem too out of character. _ If they did, I apologize. Anyways, the next chapter will be focused around Episode 5: Feast in the Moonlight but of course it will be from Misaki's POV so you may not see all of the original storyline. Misaki will be having a few chapters focused on her character development and more of her past will be revealed. I can't wait to write them out because a few twists may be coming pretty soon~ Questions will be asked! Some may be answered! Some may be ignored! Who will ask these questions? And will our fair maiden answer them or run away again? Stay tuned to find out! :D


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